Amazon to Expand ‘Delivery in Minutes’ Service to 300 Cities, Launches Welfare Programme for Delivery Associates
New Delhi, June 24 (TNT): Amazon on Wednesday announced plans to build India’s largest ultra-fast delivery network by expanding its “Amazon Now” service to more than 300 cities across the country.
The company said Amazon Now has emerged as the fastest-growing business unit in Amazon India’s history, with order volumes doubling every quarter since its launch.
As part of the expansion, Amazon will significantly scale up its network of micro-fulfilment and urban fulfilment centres to offer customers a wider range of products delivered within minutes or a few hours.
The service currently caters to more than 50 million customers across over 15 metro and non-metro cities, including Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Amritsar and Kochi.
Amazon said the platform will offer tens of thousands of products through ultra-fast delivery, over one million products through same-day delivery, more than four million items through next-day delivery and millions more through its Prime delivery network.
Announcing the expansion, Amazon India Country Manager Samir Kumar said Prime members who start using Amazon Now were shopping nearly three times more frequently on the platform.
Alongside the business expansion, Amazon also launched “Sammaan”, a dedicated welfare programme aimed at supporting thousands of delivery associates working across its e-commerce and quick commerce operations.
The company said a portion of its recently announced $300 million investment in operations and employee well-being would be utilised for strengthening the initiative.
Under the Sammaan programme, delivery associates will receive benefits including scholarships for their children’s education, assistance in accessing government welfare schemes, financial inclusion support, comprehensive insurance coverage and enhanced road safety measures.
Amazon also announced plans to expand its Ashray rest centre network to 250 locations across India this year. The facilities, which provide rest and support services for delivery personnel, will be open to delivery associates from across the industry.
The company said the twin initiatives reflect its focus on accelerating delivery speeds while investing in the welfare and well-being of the workforce that powers its logistics network.
TNT KS
