Flipkart, India’s homegrown e-commerce marketplace, and Mahindra-owned Meru - the app-based ride-hailing cab operator - have partnered to provide people access to grocery and essential items during the ongoing lockdown. The doorstep delivery service is only available to Flipkart customers across the Bengaluru, Delhi NCR and Hyderabad regions.

The companies say this partnership is a continuation of Flipkart’s efforts to create innovative models of collaboration to serve citizens during this unprecedented crisis. It also supports the government’s efforts to keep citizens at home to contain the spread of Covid-19. The synergies between both organisations will ensure that essential supply chains are functional while supporting driver-partners with income opportunities.

Commenting on the initiative Kalyan Krishnamurthy, CEO, Flipkart Group said, “Flipkart Group is committed to customers as India fights this unprecedented battle. This partnership with Meru is a result of our teams exploring new, innovative ways to drive value for our ecosystem of sellers, brands, partners, and customers to ensure the safe and swift availability of grocery and essential goods. We have a very secure and safe supply chain where we follow SOPs diligently. We stand by the nation in this fight against Covid-19 as we prioritise the wellbeing and safety of all including our customers and employees.”

Neeraj Gupta, founder and CEO, Meru Mobility Tech said, “This is a unique initiative which we are undertaking with Flipkart which will benefit consumers immensely. Meru will use its fleet to ensure the timely and safe delivery of essentials to Flipkart’s large customer base in a hassle-free manner. This service will also offer our driver-partners an additional earning opportunity during this challenging time.”

Meru says that the initiative is in line with the government guidelines, and it is providing its Ozone Sanitised fleet to help Flipkart with their deliveries. The dispatch hubs have been installed with Ozone Air Purifier, encouraging all driver-partners to sanitise their cabs, thus maintaining high standards of hygiene. Meru driver-partners will undergo Flipkart’s training module for a better understanding of its processes for safe and timely delivery of the grocery items, while Meru is educating and updating its driver-partners on various preventive measures like using alcohol-based sanitizers and wearing face masks to curb the spread of the virus.