The salary for a delivery boy working in Delhi begins at about Rs 6,500 per month, while one working in Noida earns about Rs 8,000, and those in Gurgaon are paid even more – about Rs 9,000-12,000 per month. So you’d think all delivery boys would rush to work in the Millennium City, right? Wrong. The high salary is precisely because it is tough to find enough delivery boys willing to work for food outlets and online portals in the neighbouring cities, owing to their “ unsafe ” environment. They say it is better to earn a lower salary in Delhi than to “risk” their safety by working in Noida and Gurgaon. Despite the “good” amount paid by employees in Noida and Gurgaon, delivery boys latch on to the first opportunity they get to work in Delhi. The reason? Their personal safety and better working conditions.“The average salary for freshers (for delivery boys) in Delhi is Rs 6,500; in Noida, it is Rs 8,000, and is the highest in Gurgaon – Rs 9,000-12,000. They are paid better in Noida and Gurgaon because the demand for delivery boys is more and not many are willing to work in these areas due to various reasons, including safety. Sixty five per cent of those working in Delhi do not shift their work area to Noida or Gurgaon. While it is the reverse case in Gurgaon and Noida – 65% of those working in Noida and Gurgaon move out within a year, so, to retain them, the companies have to lure them with good money,” says Rahul Jain, director of a recruitment company based in Indirapuram, that provides placement services to delivery boys.A Gurgaon Facebook post states that delivery boys used to be paid Rs 7,000-10,000 per month three years ago, but now, they are paid salaries in the range of Rs 14,000 plus incentives, which lets them earn between Rs 17,000-20,000 per month. Extra shifts and midnight deliveries can easily earn them Rs 25,000 to Rs 28,000. The boom in the online delivery model has led to a sharp rise in their demand in Gurgaon. So, one would assume that Gurgaon would be the most lucrative location for delivery boys to work. However, Ritika Gupta, director of a Gurgaon-based placement agency in Sector 15, says, “Gurgaon has the highest requirement rate of delivery boys, but it is very difficult to get candidates here. The ones who take up the job are mostly those who are either from Gurgaon or have been staying here. Hardly anyone is willing to move to Gurgaon. They say ‘wahan akele ya family ke saath rehna safe nahi hai.’”Ritika adds, “We keep meeting candidates who may not have had a bad experience, but scary stories like how someone was beaten up in the night while he went to help a few people, impact their decision. Also, when it comes to home deliveries, there have been cases where people place the order and don’t acknowledge it later. In case of food delivery, they argue that the delivery is late so it should be given to them for free or they say that the order is wrong. They even threaten to call the police if delivery boys argue. In such situations, delivery guys have to pay for the loss from their own pocket. Those who agree to work, don’t stay for more than six months. And so, they are offered the highest salary in NCR – `12,000 or `13,000 as a starting amount plus conveyance.”Rahul Jain says, “Also, in Delhi, most restaurants or hotels provide accommodation and food to their delivery boys, but in Noida or Gurgaon, employers cite ‘security concerns’ as the reason for not providing them with accommodation. In Noida and Gurgaon, no one trusts a person easily, no matter if it is their own employee. As there were a few cases reported of theft involving domestic help or people who have an easy access to the property, owners are now very cautious in these areas and they do not even allow delivery boys to use the restaurant or hotel premises to sleep at night, even if they work till late in the night. This is especially seen in Noida, and therefore most of the companies or ventures which require delivery boys, hire them through third party (placement agencies), only after verifying the background and credentials of the person.”Rahul too says that not many delivery boys are willing to work in Noida and the neighbouring areas because of the safety risk involved. “In Gurgaon, there have been cases where delivery boys were stopped midway, held at gunpoint, beaten and robbed. Some areas are so deserted that there is no help in sight in case of an emergency, and even the police take time to reach a person in need of help. Police protection is better in Delhi, even late at night,” he says.Rajiv Kumar hasn’t been “fortunate” to find a job in Delhi yet, but he moved jobs from Noida to Gurgaon as soon as he got an opportunity with a Gurgaon-based grocery store in Sector 47. “I worked in Sector 63 in Noida for a few months. I left after I didn’t get my salary for three months. When you ask for your salary, you are threatened. There is no point in even arguing with employers or fighting for your own money as they also boast of ‘political connections’ and say ‘jaa kar le kya karega.’ Customers too, are difficult. I knew a guy who working for a pizza chain in Noida, who went to deliver a pizza to a lady who was alone at home. She opened the door and asked him to wait till she got the money. She returned after 15-20 minutes and started screaming that the pizza was cold. When he tried to reason with her, she shouted at him and even accused him of trying to enter her house. He got nervous and called his manager. All she wanted was to not pay for pizza. The manager had the guy’s back and asked him to come back. Not everyone is that lucky. There have been incidents where people have beaten up delivery boys when they’ve asked for payment.In comparison to Noida, Gurgaon at least has more educated people. They do not misbehave. Such instances are fewer in Gurgaon. But Gurgaon comes with other risks – there are areas where you won’t find traffic cops after eight in the evening. As delivery boys are always in a hurry, they get beaten up even if they overtake a vehicle and are even threatened of dire consequences if they report it. Delhi seems to be the safest option and so, most delivery boys are willing to work here, but vacancies do not come up easily in Delhi,” says Rajiv.“Delhi is the most competitive market for delivery boys as those who join, rarely leave,” says Ashish Raj, a director of a North Delhi-based placement service agency.“Those who join in Delhi may join at a lower salary (as compared to Noida and Gurgaon) but since they stay for a long time, they eventually grow in the profession and start getting better. Moreover, they move on to a better designation after a certain amount of experience as delivery boys,” he adds. Abhishek Rastogi, who works with an online shopping portal, has been in the profession for nine years and says that it’s better to start with a lower salary than to keep switching jobs. “Employers pay more in Gurgaon and Noida because it’s difficult to find trustworthy employees there. In Delhi, the competition is more but you get to grow fast and get better opportunities,” says Abhishek.