After the temporary suspension of their online operations, the Walmart-owned Flipkart will resume its grocery and essentials services. The decision comes after the assurance of safe passage of its supply chain and delivery executives by local law enforcement authorities.
Joining this Amazon too said that it was working with government authorities to enable it to deliver essential items.
Customers in dire straits
With the Prime Minister's recent address on the national lockdown for the next 21 days, the whole nation is most worried to the availability of food and other necessary items.
Adding the fuel to the fire, Flipkart, along with rival Amazon India's Pantry service, were suspended temporarily on Wednesday, 25 March, morning as India entered into a 21-day lockdown to contain the spread of Covid-19 pandemic.
In his statements, the Flipkart Group CEO Kalyan Krishnamurthy said, "We have been assured of the safe and smooth passage of our supply chain and delivery executives by local law enforcement authorities and are resuming our grocery and essentials services later today (Wednesday). "
He added that the company continues to strengthen its supply chain in a safe and secure manner for its employees and consumers alike, and will leverage its robust delivery network to make products available to customers across the country.
Amazon is also prepared for the service
Similarly, a note on Amazon India's Pantry page said, "Dear customers, due to local restrictions, we are not able to deliver. We are working with the government authorities to enable us to deliver essential items. We will communicate through e-mail/SMS when we have an update."
It also offered customers the option of cancelling their order.
Online shoppers are the most worried
Over the period, the E-commerce platforms have seen a manifold growth in orders on their platforms in India over the past few weeks as people logged online to stock up on food and household products as well as office items like routers and cables (to work from home) on concerns around spread of COVID-19 infection and restrictions in public movement that have now been enforced.
While some e-commerce players are also urging the government to expand the scope of essential products beyond food items and medicines to include other products, like cable and routers that may be required for customers who are working from home.
