Flagging the daily hardships faced by gig workers, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday said the Delhi government will create rest facilities attached to Atal Canteens, offering them a place to eat, recharge and take a break during long work hours.
While presenting the ₹1.03 lakh crore budget for FY2026-27 in the Assembly, Gupta said that gig workers, many of whom spend several hours on two-wheelers navigating city traffic, often struggle to find safe pit stops to eat meals or charge their phones. The lack of such facilities has also been linked to a rise in fatigue-related road accidents, Gupta said.
“Gig workers are on the move for several hours on our two-wheelers. There are rarely any pit stops where these gig workers can stop and eat their lunch or charge their phones. There are a lot of accidents due to these issues," the chief minister said in the budget speech.
2 March 2026
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Announcing a targeted intervention, Gupta said the government will develop rest rooms alongside Atal Canteens to support delivery personnel and other gig workers across the city.
Gupta also announced ₹100 crore for ‘Establishment of Atal Canteens’ in JJ clusters to provide nutritious meals.
The government also plans to institutionalise support for this growing workforce. “We will form a gig welfare board as soon as possible,” Gupta said.
Emphasising the scale of the sector, she added, “A large number of gig workers are engaged here in the city. To ensure their protection and welfare, we will constitute a Gig Workers Welfare Board as soon as possible.
Gupta said that the move is expected to benefit thousands of app-based workers who form a crucial part of Delhi’s urban economy.
The chief minister announced several welfare schemes, including free diagnostic tests for newborn babies, free bicycles to 1.3 lakh girl students and laptops for meritorious students, and a new semiconductor policy, besides 'emergency operation centre' for disaster management in the budget.
The Gig & Platform Service Workers Union welcomed the Delhi government's Budget measures for gig workers, including restrooms at Atal Canteens and a proposed welfare board, which are expected to benefit around 13 lakh workers.
However, the union said the absence of a clear legislative framework leaves key questions unanswered, stating the Budget does not specify “kya milega, kab milega aur kitna milega.” It also flagged accessibility concerns, noting that existing Atal Canteens may be far from major work zones, and suggested setting up rest facilities closer to delivery hubs, warehouses and retail points, along with involving platform companies for effective implementation.
