The ongoing shortage of cooking gas triggered by the war in the Middle East has begun severely affecting the livelihoods of gig workers across India, particularly those associated with food delivery platforms. Delivery partners working with Swiggy and Zomato report that their daily orders have dropped sharply from around 30 deliveries per day to as few as five, drastically reducing their earnings.
The Gig and Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU) warned that the crisis is rapidly worsening and could soon turn into a widespread economic disaster for workers dependent on the gig economy. In a statement, the union said many of its members are struggling to survive, describing the situation as one where “our members are starving.”
According to the union, the disruption stems from the war in the Middle East that has affected global LPG supplies. The resulting shortage of commercial cooking gas cylinders has forced many restaurants, dhabas, cloud kitchens, catering services and street food vendors to shut operations or drastically reduce output. This has reportedly wiped out nearly 50–60 percent of food delivery orders across platforms like Swiggy and Zomato.
The union said the crisis has had severe consequences for workers’ families, many of whom rely entirely on daily delivery earnings. It noted that hundreds of workers have approached the union describing financial distress, including families skipping meals and children going hungry.
One delivery worker from Delhi reportedly told the union that his deliveries had fallen from about 30 per day to just five or ten. With earnings dropping sharply, he also expressed concern that the platform might deactivate his account due to reduced activity. The union added that the ripple effects are also being felt among ride-hailing drivers who often depend on restaurant trips, as well as employees working in cloud kitchens who now face layoffs.
GIPSWU warned that the “war-induced disaster” is pushing many workers toward unemployment and debt. It estimated that nearly one crore workers across related sectors may have been affected, with gig and platform workers forming a substantial portion of those impacted.
The union urged urgent intervention, arguing that gig workers are suffering due to circumstances beyond their control. It called on food delivery platforms not to penalise workers for the decline in orders and instead provide financial support and safeguards.
In a letter to the Union Labour Ministry, the union outlined several demands. These include ensuring uninterrupted commercial LPG supply to food businesses through the Oil Ministry, providing immediate relief of ₹10,000 to affected workers from platforms such as Swiggy and Zomato, imposing a three-month moratorium on ID deactivations, introducing minimum daily incentives, and extending full gig worker protection under the Code on Social Security, 2020.
The crisis has also disrupted food businesses nationwide. In many urban areas, restaurants and cloud kitchens have either temporarily shut down or reduced their menus due to the shortage of cooking gas following disruptions in energy supplies from the Persian Gulf. Some rural areas have also experienced shortages, with gas agencies halting deliveries or enforcing waiting periods between cylinder bookings.
In response to the situation, the government has invoked the Essential Commodities Act to regulate the production, supply and distribution of cooking gas. Despite the disruptions, authorities have urged the public not to panic, stating that adequate measures are being taken to manage supply and stabilise the situation.
