Amazon India plans to set up 50 new Ashray centres across the country, taking the total to 200 — and the company says it's on track to reach 250 centres by the end of 2026. It also announced the expansion of its mobile Ashray vans to Bengaluru, the fourth city after Delhi NCR, Mumbai and Hyderabad.
Launched in 2024 in Delhi NCR, Ashray is a delivery-driver welfare initiative: air-conditioned seating, drinking water, mobile-phone charging points, clean washrooms, first-aid kits and comfortable resting space. Each centre accommodates 10–15 people at a time, allows free access for up to 30 minutes per visit with convenient parking, and operates year-round from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at high-footfall locations such as petrol pumps and commercial spaces.
As quick commerce and e-commerce push deeper into Indian cities, delivery-partner welfare is becoming a reputational and regulatory front — and scaled rest infrastructure is fast becoming table stakes for platforms that run on gig labour.
Why it matters for founders
Amazon's Ashray expansion signals that gig-workforce welfare is now competitive infrastructure, not CSR garnish. If you're building in logistics, quick commerce or delivery, institutional-grade driver welfare — rest stops, charging, insurance — is becoming a licence-to-operate expectation from regulators and workers alike.