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Delivery boys urge: Don’t be harsh with us amid the pandemic

Hindustan Times | By, New Delhi
Jul 16, 2020 08:50 PM IST

Working tirelessly to deliver essentials and luxury items, amid the Covid-19 crisis, deliver boys have been most often at the receiving end of wrath of customers.

As delivery boys run pillar to post delivering goods including clothes, groceries, etc they share their experiences of at times having to compromise on their dignity. Even before the pandemic struck, it wasn’t an easy life for these delivery boys. But now, since there is an increased stigma attached to those who turn Covid-19 positive, attitudes of people have changed drastically, and more so towards the delivery boys who are mostly outdoors, working amid the Covid-19 crisis, to ensure that we all get whatever essentials and luxury items we order from the comfort of our homes.

Delivery boys have been working relentlessly yet share experiences that show how they are being treated.(Photo: Yogesh Kumar/HT (For representational purpose only))
Delivery boys have been working relentlessly yet share experiences that show how they are being treated.(Photo: Yogesh Kumar/HT (For representational purpose only))

‘Some ask us to stay away’

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A delivery boy, Jagpal, from Delhi, says, “Log kehte hain Yahan phaikh do, Door raho, Sanitise kar do... bura toh lagta hai, but bimaari hi aisi hai ki kuch keh nahin sakte. Despite the couriers being sanitised all the time, we do get a lot of flak most of the times for nothing. We follow all the rules laid down by our company, but logon mein darr bahut hai.”

Residents often delay coming to the society gate to receive the order and delivery boys have to stand in scorching heat. (Photo: Sant Arora/HT (For representational purpose only))
Residents often delay coming to the society gate to receive the order and delivery boys have to stand in scorching heat. (Photo: Sant Arora/HT (For representational purpose only))

‘Dhoop mein khada kar dete hai’

Santosh, a Gurugram-based delivery boy shares, “Kai baar log wait karate hain, phone hi nahin uthate hai. Sometimes people ask me to come upstairs at their door, but I ring the bell and say ‘Aap neeche aa jaiye, packet main tabhi deliver kar doonga’. And then they make us wait unnecessarily... itni der dhoop mein khada kar dete hai aur samah barbad hota hai vo alag. People should realise that we have to think about our safety, too. Don’t talk to us if you want to follow social distancing but don’t be harsh to us like this.”

‘Some bring sanitizers and make us use them in front of their eyes’

Vinod Sahani, another Delhi-based delivery boy, says, “All these things worsened when a delivery boy was infected some time back. Kuch customers hote hain jo kehte hain koi dikkat nahin hain,balance paise side mein rakh dijiye hum utha lenge. Some say packet side bahar rakh dijiye aur amount pooch ke side mein ho jaate hain. Hum aa jate hain tab respect se ‘Thank you sir ya madam’ kehke. Par bura to tab lagta hai jab hume dekhte hi customers sanitiser leke aa jate hain, we tell them that we have sanitised our hands and our packets par unki satisfaction ke liye dobara unke saamne haath sanitize kar lete hain.”

‘Bahane karte hain paani na dene ke liye’

“It’s so hot so we mostly fill our water bottle when we leave, but at times we run out of water. But nowadays you ask anyone for water and koi na koi bahana bana dete hain. Sanitiser mango to fatafat laa denge,” rues Rajan, a Delhi-based delivery boy. He adds, “Every company today is sending out packets only after they get sanitised, phir bhi customer baar baar poochte hain ki sanitise kiya ya nahi, bolte hai ‘Distance rakho’ ya ‘Andar mat aao, bahar chod do baad me le lenge’.”

‘Achcha lagta hai jab izzat mile’

Anupam, a Delhiite, who delivers apparels and groceries around the city, says, “We leave the order outside the gated colonies, and customers come to get it. We don’t go inside the gates as some RWAs have strict rules. Still some people are good and do offer me water, but I politely refuse saying mere paas bottle hai. Achcha lagta hai jab izzat mile... jo log jaanne lage hain unka vyavhar acha hai. Par har type ke log milte hai. Jahan roz jaane lage hain wahan jaan pehchaan ho gayi hai to log izzat karte hain ki hum roz unka saaman laate hai. But sab aise nahi hote; meri kismat achchi rahi hai.”

Author tweets @Nainaarora8

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    Naina Arora writes on City, Art and Culture of Gurugram, for the daily Entertainment & Lifestyle supplement, HT City

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