Zomato removes nearly 5,000 gig workers from its platform every month due to fraud-related issues, while a significantly larger number—between 1.5 lakh and 2 lakh delivery partners—exit voluntarily, the company’s founder and CEO Deepinder Goyal has said.
Speaking on a video podcast with YouTuber Raj Shamani, Goyal said many delivery partners view gig work as a temporary source of income and leave the platform on their own once better opportunities arise or personal circumstances change. He added that platform-led removals are primarily linked to cases of fraud and policy violations.
The comments come amid growing scrutiny of working conditions in the gig economy. Several delivery partners associated with food delivery and quick commerce platforms, including Zomato, staged a flash strike on New Year’s Eve, demanding higher wages, improved working conditions and better social security coverage.
The developments also coincide with regulatory changes. The Ministry of Labour and Employment recently published draft rules under the four labour codes, bringing gig and platform workers within the ambit of benefits such as minimum wages, health coverage, occupational safety and social security. The government has invited stakeholder feedback on the draft and plans to roll out the full set of labour codes nationwide from April 1.
Under the proposed rules, a gig or platform worker must be associated with an aggregator for at least 90 days in a financial year to qualify for social security benefits. For workers engaged with multiple aggregators, the minimum requirement is 120 days. Engagement is defined as any calendar day on which a worker earns income from an aggregator, regardless of the amount earned.
The notification outlining these provisions was issued on December 30, 2025, a day before gig and platform workers staged the flash strike, underscoring the evolving policy focus on the rapidly expanding gig economy.