The race for the last mile

WHEN SWIGGY PULLED the plug on its Genie service earlier this month, a niche but growing segment of hyperlocal logistics was thrown into a moment of reckoning.

- GEETIKA SRIVASTAVA

WHEN SWIGGY PULLED the plug on its Genie service earlier this month, a niche but growing segment of hyperlocal logistics was thrown into a moment of reckoning. The company, under pressure to streamline costs, chose to shutter the ancillary courier business that once operated across more than 60 cities. Though never a core revenue engine, Genie symbolised Swiggy's attempt to tap into the high-frequency intra-city logistics game. Now that it's gone, rivals are moving swiftly to claim the space.

Uber fired its first salvo with a cheeky social media post, "No Genie, No Problem. The magic is still alive with Uber Courier". Uber Courier is a same-day delivery service that allows users to request a driver to deliver a package from one location to another. Now it is doubling down. The firm has launched Courier XL, a service to move bulkier packages (up to 750 kg) using 3- and 4-wheelers. "Courier XL is built in response to the growing demand from small businesses, local retailers, and households that need a trusted, tech-enabled solution for moving heavier or bulkier items," says Shiva Shailendran, director, consumer & growth, Uber India & South Asia. "It expands from hyper-local, lightweight deliveries to high-volume, high-capacity logistics."