Swiggy To Bring Its Grocery Delivery Service To 150 Cities

Last year, Swiggy first launched its grocery delivery services called Swiggy Stores in Gurugram and Bengaluru. Now, the Bengaluru-based firm is set to bring its service to 150 cities around the country.

Times of India was the first to report this move of Swiggy. The company is said to be willing to put to use its 2.5 lakh fleet in 500 cities for the delivery of essential products, especially when the whole country is put under lockdown until April 14.

In an interview, Vivek Sundar, Swiggy COO said that it would take the company from 1 to 2 days to expand its service to as many cities as possible. And according to Sundar, for this to happen will require the open of grocery stores to prevent supply chain disruptions. Moreover, it is critical for the delivery fleet to operate without harassment.

Because of the ongoing pandemic, about 80 to 85% of the company’s fleet is idle. The main reason behind this is the shutdown of many restaurants in big cities after being pressured by local authorities. Another reason is that the physical abuse that the delivery fleet suffered.

He added that the cancellation rates had been 10 times the normal rate. The company was having a difficult time even on Bengaluru which was supposed to be the best operational state.

Despite the central government’s instructions, the state governments in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Tamil Nadu have banned online delivery services from operating. However, Swiggy claims to have taken measures to prevent the virus from spreading.

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