Greater Chennai Corporation has planned to construct air conditioned rest areas for gig workers who are involved in food and e commerce delivery on important roads in the city, similar to that of Dubai.

GCC engineers are working on a design for the construction of rest areas in neghbourhoods such as Anna Nagar, Nungambakkam, Royapettah, Mylapore and T.Nagar. The model will be based on the airconditioned rest areas launched in Dubai, said an official. Currently, gig workers gather in large numbers along important roads such as Anna Salai, Anna Nagar Second Avenue, Khadar Nawaz Khan Road, Uttamar Gandhi Salai and Royapettah High Road to provide services, without adequate space for safety. The condition is worse during the monsoon and summer seasons, as they wait along the road.

The number of women who benefit from e commerce and food delivery is expected to increase in the city because of the air-conditioned rest areas. “Women constitute only around 10% of the gig workers. They don’t have access to toilets in many of the locations. Safety and security is another deterrent to the participation of women,” said a worker.

“Workers have lost mobile phones. The food parcels have also been stolen from workers. Police tow the vehicles of gig workers parked opposite major malls. We don’t have parking space. Charging a mobile phone is another issue,” he said.

The project by GCC will improve road safety, encourage compliance with traffic rules, and provide essential services for the workers, contributing to customer satisfaction. The facilities will get designated parking spaces. A large number of gig workers used to assemble in the vicinity of Bilal Hotel on Anna Salai, near Express Avenue, GN Chetty Road, near Anna Nagar Roundtana and Kadhar Nawaz Khan Road until 3 a.m. for delivery of food. Many of the workers resume work early in the morning as the vegetarian restaurants start operations by 6 a.m. Workers said a 600 sq ft facility would be adequate in each locality with toilets as they wait for less than 10 minutes in such locations. However, finding space for the rest areas in congested areas such as Khadar Nawaz Khan Road is likely to be a challenge.