Pune, 31 March 2026: City has been facing a disruption in the supply of commercial gas over the past few days, and its impact is now clearly visible in the food delivery sector. Several small and large restaurants, along with cloud kitchens, have been forced to temporarily shut operations due to the shortage.
As a result, online food orders on platforms like Swiggy and Zomato have declined significantly, slowing down overall business activity.
With fewer orders coming in, delivery partners are among the worst affected. Many of them, who depend on daily earnings, are now struggling to maintain a stable income.
The drop in deliveries has reduced their daily earnings considerably, and for some, even getting consistent work throughout the day has become difficult. This has pushed a section of delivery workers to start looking for alternative sources of income.
The situation has further worsened due to financial commitments. Many delivery partners are finding it difficult to pay instalments on their two-wheelers, which are often purchased on loans.
Managing fuel expenses, vehicle maintenance, and household costs has become increasingly challenging, putting them under financial pressure. If the situation does not improve soon, the crisis could deepen for workers in this sector.
The gas shortage has also slowed down the overall food business in the city. With irregular supply, cooking operations have been disrupted, forcing some establishments to shut completely while others are operating with limited menus. This has directly contributed to the decline in online food orders.
Experts point out that gig workers are the most vulnerable in such situations due to the lack of fixed income and social security. They believe that both the government and platform companies need to step in with temporary relief measures or support schemes to help workers cope during this period.
“Earlier, I used to get around 15 to 20 orders a day, but now it has dropped to less than half. Even covering petrol costs is becoming difficult. Managing bike EMIs and household expenses is a big challenge. This situation has continued for the last 15 days, and there is no clarity on when it will improve,” said a delivery partner.
