Swiggy, Zomato halt services in Hyderabad after Police detains food delivery agents

Amid lockdown in Telangana, two major food delivery companies, Zomato and Swiggy, said they suspended their services in Hyderabad on Saturday as police officials were stopping their delivery executives at check posts and slapping fines on them. 

Several Zomato staff complained that their bikes were seized and were fined Rs 1000  by the police as part of enforcing the lockdown based on Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s directions to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the city. However, the state government in their list of permitted activities at the time of announcing a lockdown had included e-commerce (delivery) of goods and merchandise including food. 

Owaisi Slams Telangana Govt

AIMIM President Asadudin Owaisi reacted to this incident and slammed the state government for stopping the delivery boys from doing their job. He said, "G.O on lockdown in Telangana clearly states that food delivery is permitted. Why are delivery personnel being detained then? They must be released along with their vehicles immediately."

In the following tweet, he added,  "if the government has decided to not allow food delivery, then please amend the GO. Till such an amendment is made, food delivery personnel should not be stopped."

 However, as per reports, the police commissioner said in defense that there is permission for e-commerce for food delivery but some youth were misusing the T-shirts of Swiggy and Zomato to roam around. and therefore, the checks were initiated after a few people were found impersonating delivery persons wearing the T-shirts to move about and those who are doing this under the Disaster Management Act and Section 188 Indian Penal Code (IPC) (for Disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant.)Swiggy and Zomato have stopped their services seeking clarity from the Government.