Amazon India plans to increase the number of "Ashray" centers—specific rest areas for all delivery personnel throughout the logistics and e-commerce ecosystem—to 100 by the end of this year.

Clean drinking water, electrolytes, mobile charging stations, air-conditioned seats, restrooms, first-aid kits, and refreshment facilities for delivery staff are all features of these centers.

Since IMD has warned of hotter-than-normal temperatures from April to June, along with more heatwave days in central and eastern India and the northwest plains, Amazon's announcement—which currently has over 30 such centers—takes on significance.

About 10 more centers have been opened in Delhi-NCR as a result of the capital's high temperatures.

The Ashray centers, which translate to "shelter" in Hindi, are not limited to Amazon's own delivery partners. These facilities are available to associates throughout the logistics and e-commerce industry.

According to Amazon, this initiative is a first for the industry and aims to provide delivery colleagues and logistics partners in high-traffic regions with designated rest rooms.

 

Although Amazon presently provides funding for the centers, the e-commerce behemoth is amenable to the concept of other businesses joining together in the future to expand this further and make it sustainable.

These centers, which are situated near gas stations and business rental spaces, are furnished with basic conveniences. Ashray centers are open seven days a week, from 9 AM to 9 PM, and they provide free access to all visiting delivery workers for a maximum of 30 minutes each visit.

"The health, wellbeing and comfort of delivery associates is our top priority," Abhinav Singh, VP Operations, India and Australia at Amazon said.

In addition to comfortable parking places, the centers can accommodate up to 15 individuals at any given time.

The purpose of these facilities is to provide delivery workers with a safe and comfortable place to stop throughout their hectic workdays.

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"Opening these facilities to all delivery associates across e-commerce and logistics ecosystem, supports the entire logistics community and reflects our commitment to raising industry standards. We are encouraged by the response we have seen so far and are committed to expanding this initiative to 100 such centres across India," he said.