Amazon, Flipkart To Start Deliver Non-Essential Goods From May 4th

With the rise of COVID-19 confirmed cases in the country has led to the government’s decision to extend the nationwide lockdown by two weeks. However, this time, it isn’t a complete lockdown anymore. E-commerce giants like Amazon and Flipkart have been allowed to deliver essential as well as non-essential items starting from May 4.

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs’ latest regulations, the e-commerce platforms can start delivery in orange as well as green zones consisting of locations that have none or a few COVID-19 cases. Previously, they were only allowed to deliver essential goods including food, groceries, and medical supplies. Meanwhile, red zones can’t still take advantage of the online delivery service for the time being.

For those who wonder what are these color-coded zones, the country has been divided into three zones based on the spread of COVID-19. Red zones are containment zones with high-risk districts or areas that have already been barricaded. Among these areas are Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru. For red zones, no one is allowed to enter or exit.

On the other hand, green and orange zones are areas with none to a few COVID-19 cases. In these areas, offline stores can even operate now.

The permission for e-commerce giants to start delivering non-essential goods in orange and green zones is a huge relief. Recently, Amazon revealed that its business in India suffered the worse because of the lockdown. Amazon will follow the latest guidelines. And in the coming days, it will start delivering electronic appliances, smartphones, and more.

Cab aggregators including Ola and Uber have also received permission from the government to operate again in India. However, they will be limited to operate within orange and green zones only, alongside other transport services.

There is one condition though. Drivers from these ride-sharing platforms can only accept one passenger at a time. That means, your family can’t use cab-hailing services just yet. But, if you own a vehicle and have an inter-district permit, you are allowed to have up to two passengers, alongside the driver.

Delivery services can operate and deliver non-essential items from 7 am to 7 pm. So, you have to make sure to follow the new guidelines and select the correct timeslot.

>>> Amazon And Flipkart Have To Follow New Guidelines To Ensure Safe Delivery During The CO.VID-19 Pandemic