A viral post on X, showing a delivery agent riding on the footpath, has resurfaced concerns about their reckless driving. The incident has reignited outrage among Bengaluru residents, with many blaming the pressure to make uber quick deliveries for putting drivers and pedestrians in danger.
Bengaluru Delivery Man Drives on a Footpath
A Blinkit delivery man was caught on camera riding his bike on a footpath in Bengaluru. An X user posted a video of the incident, making it viral.
A Bengaluru resident who captured the moment said, “Hi @letsblinkit, I didn't know your delivery boys had special approval to ride on the footpaths.” He also urged the Bengaluru Traffic Police to pay attention to such violations by adding, “I am requesting you to please stop this menace.”
The video has brought on public outrage, with such violations being a daily sight in light of the increasing demand for 10-minute deliveries. Residents blame the unrealistic promises set by quick commerce companies that push drivers to break traffic regulations, endangering the lives of pedestrians and motorists.
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Blinkit & Bengaluru Traffic Police Respond
With the post going viral, concerned authorities have now responded to the public’s concerns.
Blinkit responded by thanking the user for bringing the violation to their attention. Furthermore, they also apologised for the incident by saying, “We're sorry for the inconvenience. We do not condone traffic violations of any nature. The store partner in your neighbourhood has been alerted and is swiftly addressing the concern.”
The incident also caught the Bengaluru Traffic Police’s attention, with them asking for the exact details of the incident and appreciating the X user for reporting it. BTP’s official X page also added, “To report the traffic-related violations, you can use the BTP Astram portal, which facilitates the public to enforce the traffic violations.”
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Netizens React
Bengaluru has witnessed a rise in traffic violations committed by gig economy workers, especially those employed by food and grocery delivery services. Netizens are outraged and have shared an overwhelming amount of similar incidents that occur daily in Bengaluru.
The user who posted the viral video added, “They look at you like you’re a criminal for walking on the footpath!” pointing out the growing disregard for pedestrians and motorists.
Another user put in her 2 cents to the online debate by saying, “This is a serious menace. Many can't seem to wait for 1-2 minutes for the signal to run green but instead will find creative ways to skip the traffic.” She also added that “most violators are riders from delivery apps,” urging Bengaluru traffic police to issue a hefty fine to these companies.
A user shared an incident wherein a delivery boy jumped on his car. He recalls, “One delivery boy jumped on my car yesterday without a helmet, talking on the phone while taking a wrong right turn. I am glad he didn't die.” He added that his car is in shambles, which he could easily get fixed, but these young boys have lost their way thanks to Blinkit.
While most blamed the delivery drivers for such incidents taking place, many others believe that the quick commerce companies should be held accountable.
A user said, “This is how they fulfil 10 min delivery promise,” shedding light on the fact that the unrealistic promises made by these quick commerce apps are the reason behind drivers behaving recklessly when they have to make a 10-minute delivery in a city like Bengaluru.
While another user agrees with this point of view, saying, “We mustn't blame delivery boys, rather those app masters who promise to deliver within 10 mins and pressurise these boys.”
According to a Deccan Herald report, in November 2024, a staggering 17,218 cases for different traffic violations, including wrong-side driving, failure to wear helmets, and jumping signals, were registered, many of which involved delivery drivers.
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