Ordering food online has become one of the most convenient and hassle-free options. With just a few taps and clicks, your favourite dishes are packed and delivered to your doorstep. Although we have many apps and websites catering to online food ordering at our fingertips, not many of us know what goes on behind the scenes. The plight of delivery agents - working day and night to scrape together a living - has been highlighted on social media several times. Another such incident surfaced on Twitter recently narrated by user Aditya Sharma. The 18-year-old took to the micro-blogging platform to share the ordeal of a Zomato delivery agent, and it has gone viral. Take a look:
(Also Read: Heartfelt Tweet Asking Support For Oldest Indian Restaurant In East London Goes Viral)
Sharma wrote on Twitter how he had ordered food from Zomato and it was delivered perfectly on time, but he was taken by surprise to see the delivery agent riding a bicycle in the scorching summer heat. This concerned Sharma, especially since he is based in Rajasthan where soaring temperatures often cross 40 degrees Celsius or more. Further inquiry revealed that the agent, Durga Meena, was 31 years old and had been delivering for the past four months. A commerce graduate, Meena wanted to pursue further studies but took up a job due to his financial conditions.
Delivery agent Durga Meena manages to make approximately 10-12 deliveries in a day to earn a living of 10,000 rupees per month. He was trying to save up money for a bike and asked for Twitter user Sharma's help to make the down payment of Rs. 75 thousand for the same. Sharma then appealed to fellow Twitter users to step up and contribute to the good cause.
There was an outpouring of support to crowdfunding the amount for the delivery agent Durga Meena. The tweet went viral within a day's time, receiving over 65k likes and thousands of retweets and comments. Twitter users managed to raise not just the amount for the down payment, but a much higher figure of Rs. 1.4 lakh. Help and funds kept pouring in, and the Zomato delivery agent finally got his bike thanks to the internet's support. Take a look:
(Also Read: Zomato Reinstates Customer Care Agent After Twitter Row Over Language)
This shows how the power of social media can be put to good use and channelled into something productive as well! What did you think of the viral story? Tell us in the comments below.