Delhi HC seeks Centre, state stand on plea alleging traffic violations by e-comm delivery riders

New Delhi, Jul 16 (PTI) The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought responses from the Centre, Delhi government and Delhi Police on a plea alleging traffic violations by e-commerce delivery riders.

A bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela ordered the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Delhi Transport Department and Delhi police commissioner to file their replies and posted the matter on October 8.

In a PIL, Shashank Shri Tripathi, an advocate, alleged the "widespread, continuing and unchecked" violations of the Motor Vehicles Act and the Central Motor Vehicles Rules by delivery partners of quick commerce and e-commerce platforms in the capital.

The Delhi government counsel said they had already brought a policy for two-wheelers -- The Delhi Motor Vehicle Aggregator and Delivery Service Provider Scheme, 2023, which was notified on November 21, 2023.

The bench then asked the Delhi government to place on record the policy besides asking the authorities concerned to give details of action taken by them in terms of the policy.

The plea alleged the delivery personnel employed or contracted by various platforms routinely used two-wheelers to transport "oversized, bulky and excessively heavy items" including industrial toolkits, foldable furniture and commercial-sized delivery boxes.

These loads often exceed the permissible dimensions and weight limits under Indian traffic regulations, compromise the stability of vehicles, obstruct the vision of riders and endanger public safety, it said.

"The continued tolerance of these unsafe delivery practices will create a dangerous precedent that encourages other commercial entities to disregard safety regulations, thereby potentially leading to a complete breakdown of vehicular discipline and road safety standards across the National Capital Territory of Delhi and other urban centers, which would result in irreparable harm to public safety and the rule of law," the petition said.

The plea sought directions for framing and implementing binding regulatory guidelines governing delivery operations in the gig economy.

The plea further sought to direct all the companies concerned to ensure that their delivery operations are brought into compliance with the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act and the Central Motor Vehicles Rules.

Online marketplaces -- Urbanclap Technologies India Pvt Ltd (Urban Company), Zomato Ltd, Bundl Technologies Pvt Ltd (Swiggy), Amazon Seller Services Pvt Ltd, Instakart Services Pvt Ltd (Ekart / Flipkart), Jubilant Foodworks Ltd (Domino's), Connaught Plaza Restaurants Pvt Ltd (McDonald's), Kiranakart Technologies Pvt Ltd (Zepto), Innovative Retail Concepts Pvt Ltd (Bigbasket) and Smartshift Logistics Solutions Pvt Ltd (Porter) -- have been made parties to the case. PTI SKV SKV AMK AMK