Amazon Adds 35 Cities To Its Flex Delivery In India

Amazon India has expanded its Amazon Flex delivery network to 35 cities across the country, The Hindu reported. The delivery service was started last year in three cities.

An Amazon website said its Flex delivery service would pay between 120 rupees ($1.57) and 140 rupees ($1.83) per hour. The site said Amazon was “currently looking for 2-wheeler riders” in a list that includes such major Indian cities as Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad. The site’s pitch: “All you need is an Android phone and some free time.”

The eCommerce leader said it expects to create tens of thousands of part-time opportunities in the Amazon Flex communities.

Amazon said not only will its investment in India result in needed jobs, but the expansion of the program will assist the company’s Indian delivery network at a time when customers depend on its services to have their products delivered safely.

“Over the last one year we have received an overwhelming response for the Amazon Flex program from thousands of individuals who have benefited by delivering to Amazon customers,” said Prakash Rochlani, director of Last Mile Transportation at Amazon India, in a statement. “Amazon Flex partners enjoy the part-time opportunity to earn more, especially at this time when the country is economically recovering from the impact of the nationwide lockdown.”

TechCrunch reported Amazon and Walmart’s Flipkart, its chief rival in India, were hurt when New Delhi announced a nationwide lockdown and prevented the eCommerce firms from fulfilling non-essential orders. India has since eased restrictions and the firms say they have resumed much of their services.

In April, Reuters reported Amazon drivers in the U.S. said the company has failed to provide them with more pay or protections as these frontline workers continued to make deliveries amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, Rochlani in India said that safety remains a top priority, and Amazon is taking precautions and has implemented a series of preventative health measures.

Earlier this month, PYMNTS reported the Indian government rejected Walmart’s application for a license to sell food products through eCommerce giant Flipkart. The companies reportedly plan to re-apply.