Several quick delivery apps known for their speed and efficiency do not maintain basic amenities and safety standards in their warehouses, a survey has found.

The survey was conducted by Rajdhani App Workers’ Union, affiliated to CPM labour arm Citu, across 51 warehouses operated by Blinkit, Zepto, Instamart, Big Basket and Flipkart Minutes in the NCR.

The Dark Store Audit Report has found violations of workers’ rights, including the lack of access to toilets, clean drinking water, rest areas and first-aid facilities, in these warehouses.

Brajendra Singh, who used to work as a delivery agent for Instamart, had no access to a toilet at the company’s warehouse in Malviya Nagar in Delhi. Using public toilets led to delayed delivery, costing him his incentives. He left the job three months ago.

“I lost out on incentives due to a delay in delivery because I had to stop my bike on the roadside and use a public toilet. Our store did not have a toilet. I worked there for over two years. The platforms do not bother about the workers. There were 70-80 riders working at the warehouse, but there was no parking area for bikes,” Brajendra said.

A Blinkit delivery boy said the company’s warehouse in Green Park here had no drinking water facility.

“We get ₹30 per order. They don’t provide drinking water. There is a water purifier, but it does not work most of the time. Can we buy a water bottle by spending ₹15 per litre? What will be our earnings then?” the rider, who did not wish to be identified, said.

He said there was no medical-aid facility, and the tin shed designated as a restroom did not even have a chair.

The survey, carried out between June 2 and 15, found that only 72 per cent of the warehouses had toilets for workers. Thirty-five per cent of the toilets lacked running water, forcing workers to relieve themselves in open areas. About 14 per cent of the warehouses did not provide safe drinking water.

One-third of the surveyed storehouses did not have any designated space for workers to sit. While 69 per cent of the warehouses claimed to have first-aid kits, most were locked away or inaccessible. As many as 40 per cent of the storehouses lacked parking facilities, leaving workers vulnerable to illegal parking, the report said.

Around 37 per cent of the workers reported police harassment over parking, while 16 per cent cited abusive behaviour from the management. Managerial staff at 43 per cent of the warehouses were reported as apathetic to workers’ concerns, the report added.