Logistics major Delhivery has opened a nationwide network of over 1,000 rest facilities, named Vishram, to support delivery personnel across the gig economy. Marking its 15 years of operations in India, the company has made these centers accessible to delivery partners from all platforms, including e-commerce, quick-commerce, food-tech, and courier services.
The initiative comes at a time when the lack of basic infrastructure for the mobile workforce is drawing sharp criticism from labor advocates and regulators alike. By making the network platform-agnostic, the logistics firm is attempting to address a structural gap that impacts hundreds of thousands of riders daily.
Infrastructure Gap
The gig economy workforce in India has expanded rapidly over the last decade, yet roadside infrastructure has not kept pace. Delivery riders frequently face extreme weather conditions without access to clean drinking water or basic sanitation. The newly deployed facilities are spread across approximately 600 cities and towns, covering major metros and emerging tier-2 and tier-3 hubs.
Among the locations are cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, Indore, Coimbatore, Dehradun, Ludhiana, Udaipur, Vadodara, Tirupur, Jamshedpur, Thiruvananthapuram, and Cuttack. Each center has been designed to provide relief during demanding shifts, harsh weather, heavy rains, and late-night operations.
"As the backbone of India’s digital commerce, delivery associates routinely navigate highly demanding conditions, from extreme weather to a deficit of essential roadside infrastructure," said Prashant Gazipur, Chief Operating Officer, Operations at Delhivery. "Through the ‘Vishram’ initiative, we are actively addressing this structural gap. We chose the name Vishram because it represents more than just a physical shelter—it represents a hard-earned pause, comfort, and dignity for India’s mobile workforce."
Amenities Focus
The designated spaces are optimized for short breaks lasting between 30 to 45 minutes, allowing riders to recharge between delivery runs. Inside the centers, amenities include comfortable seating, cooling fans or air coolers, clean washrooms, and safe drinking water.
Beyond basic hygiene, the centers address the technological and safety needs of on-the-go delivery work. Multiple mobile charging ports are installed at every location to keep devices operational. Additionally, first-aid kits are stocked on-site to handle minor injuries or medical emergencies immediately.
To manage these facilities without disrupting logistics operations, a paperless check-in and check-out system has been deployed. Riders gain access by scanning a QR code and entering their phone number on their mobile devices. A similar scan-out is required upon departure. This digital system allows the company to monitor hub occupancy, ensure safety protocols, and maintain hygiene standards across the network.
Industry Collaboration
The welfare of gig workers has become a core point of discussion among policy makers, with states like Rajasthan and Karnataka moving toward specific social security legislations for app-based workers. By opening up proprietary infrastructure to external riders, Delhivery is shifting the conversation toward shared industry responsibility.
"By opening our network of over 1,000 Vishram Centers to all delivery partners, regardless of platform, we aim to establish a higher standard for gig worker welfare," Gazipur added. "We believe industry-wide collaboration is critical to protect this vital workforce, and we invite fellow sector leaders to join us in fostering a safer, more sustainable ecosystem."
The move could prompt other capital-heavy platforms in the food-tech and quick-commerce spaces to either open up their dark stores or co-fund similar micro-infrastructure projects to reduce operational friction for delivery partners.
About Delhivery
Delhivery is India's largest fully integrated logistics services provider. Since its inception, the company has built a nationwide network covering over 18,500 pin codes. It provides a full suite of logistics services, including express parcel delivery, heavy goods delivery, PTL (part-truckload) and FTL (full-truckload) freight, supply chain solutions, and cross-border services. The infrastructure includes automated sorting centers, fulfillment centers, and last-mile hubs powered by a proprietary technology stack.
