Zomato Courier Utilizes Horses to Navigate Through Lengthy Lines at Gas Stations for Food Delivery

During a period when extensive lines formed at gas stations in Hyderabad due to a demonstration by truck drivers opposing the new hit-and-run legislation, a widely circulated video depicted a man riding on the city streets with a bag featuring the Zomato logo. In the brief clip, the Zomato delivery person was observed arriving at Chanchalguda, situated near the Imperial Hotel, astride a horse. Despite the prolonged queues and the shutdown of petrol pumps resulting from the truckers’ protest, the individual on horseback greeted the public by waving as he made his way through the streets.

In the video, the delivery agent was heard explaining to a passerby that he chose to use a horse for the delivery because the petrol pumps had run out of fuel. When asked about the situation, the rider on horseback replied, “Couldn’t find petrol, brother. I waited in line for three hours. I left after receiving the order from Zomato, but couldn’t get any petrol.” This happened due to the prolonged queues and the closure of petrol pumps as a result of the truckers’ protest.

On Tuesday, Hyderabad experienced significant traffic congestion as a large number of motorists gathered at fuel stations for petrol and diesel, causing long queues that spilled onto main roads. The situation led to traffic jams at various locations, which were eventually brought under control by the evening, according to police officials.

A senior police official explained that the queues and traffic congestion were a result of people’s apprehensions about fuel availability due to an ongoing agitation by truck drivers. The protest raised concerns among the public, prompting them to flock to petrol pumps in large numbers, creating queues that extended onto the roads.

News outlet NDTV reported visiting several petrol stations where fuel had run out. In Secunderabad, vehicle owners faced long waits, only to be informed that petrol and diesel were unavailable. A petrol retail outlet owner confirmed that fuel supply to city pumps had been affected by the truck drivers’ protest since Monday.

Some petrol pumps in the city had barricades, and motorists complained about being unable to fill fuel due to certain outlets being labeled as “closed,” causing inconvenience.

The nationwide truckers’ protest was called off after the government assured stakeholders that it would consult before implementing a controversial law regarding hit-and-run cases. The All-India Motor Transport Congress, following discussions with the government, decided to end the agitation.

The protest centered around Section 106(2) of Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita (BNS), slated to replace the colonial-era Indian Penal Code. This new law proposed stricter penalties for hit-and-run cases, with potential consequences of up to 10 years in jail and a ₹7 lakh fine. This marked a significant increase from the current penalty of a two-year jail term and a lighter fine. The maximum 10-year punishment would be applicable in cases where the offender causes death through rash driving and leaves the scene without reporting to the police.

Commercial vehicle operators, including truckers and cab drivers, expressed concerns about their ability to afford such hefty fines in the event of an accident, leading to their participation in the protest.