Hyperlocal Indian Shopping Assistant Service Sparks Intense Online Debate

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NEW DELHI: A newly launched Delhi-based startup named CarryMen has ignited a fierce social media debate over convenience-based gig services.

Operating out of designated market booths in the crowded lanes of the Lajpat Nagar market, the company offers a hyper-targeted utility: on-demand personal assistants to carry shopping bags, navigate dense crowds, manage street-food queues, and carry foldable chairs for rest breaks. 

The venture provides dedicated helpers trained to manage loads up to 12 kilograms for a flat rate of ₹149 per hour, or ₹79 for 30 minutes. Conceived by local founders to eliminate the physical exhaustion associated with traditional street shopping, the service completed over 50 bookings within its inaugural month following its launch in April this year.

The business model has deeply divided public opinion online. Proponents view the application as a highly practical tool, particularly for vulnerable groups such as elderly shoppers, pregnant individuals, and parents navigating chaotic public markets with toddlers. 

Conversely, a significant wave of criticism has emerged on platforms like X. Detractors argue that the platform merely repackages traditional, informal manual labor with corporate branding, capitalizing on a privileged class's desire to avoid carrying their own purchases at the expense of underprivileged workers.