Pseudo Promises and Sustained Strain: A Study on Gig Workers in Chennai’s App-Based Economy
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The gig economy has recently become an important location for jobs in urban India, and Chennai is one of the most gig- activity hubs. Platforms such as Swiggy, Zomato, Uber, Rapido, and Ola earn their keep by promoting that their work offers flexibility and freedom, but the lived experiences of gig workers often dispute those claims. Many workers report diminishing incentives, demanding hours of work, and no formal protections of any form (such as Provident Fund or health insurance). Although the topic is receiving more attention, much of the existing literature remains theoretical and few studies have been done that are on-ground (especially in urbanized cities such as Chennai). This study makes up for that absence by exploring the lived experience of gig workers in the Chennai metropolitan area. Using primary data collected through structured questionnaires from food delivery, cab, and bike taxi workers, the study examines how different incentive models impact workers' financial security, physical health, and mental well-being. Aside from the figures involved, the study describes the lived experiences of gig-workers, which included disrespectful treatment at restaurants, unfair customer complaints that resulted in penalties dictated by algorithms, which in many cases were a financial loss for the worker. By situating the analysis in the local realities, the study identified structural obstacles and provided policy-oriented solutions to improve conditions for platform workers in urban India. The study aims to make substantial contributions to the existing discourse on gig work and the urgent need for equitable labour procedures.
Authors: Santhosh Kumar K, Vidhya Lakshmi C N, Raja S R, Muthupandian T
Institution: Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4412005308