App-based aggregator's doorstep-to-doorstep delivery service goes offline in Kol, other cities
Kolkata: App-based food aggregator Swiggy has suspended its pick-up and drop-off service, Genie, in Kolkata, similar to some other metro cities, for now. Several residents of the city, who used the service frequently, discovered on Sunday that it was no longer available on the app. Upon contacting the customer care, they learned about the closure of the service, which resulted from the aggregator's challenges in hiring and retaining delivery partners.
Prakhar Lodha, a class XII student of South Point High School, relied on the service for the exchange of books and class notes with his friends. "This morning, I opened the app while trying to send a book to my friend. I learned that the service was unavailable. The customer care personnel I called informed me that the aggregator suspended the service temporarily due to operational issues. Apart from books or class notes, I also sent birthday cakes to my friends using this service. Now I shall have to avail myself of the similar service provided by Uber and a few other e-commerce platforms."
TOI reached out to a spokesperson of Swiggy, who confirmed that the service was suspended in the city since Saturday, and its resumption was uncertain. The service used to run in more than 70 cities.
The aggregator has posted on social media: "Genie is currently taking a little break... While there is no concrete timeline for Genie's return just yet, our team is working hard behind the scenes to bring it back as soon as possible." Doctor Sudipto Narayan Roy, MD of Powell Group, used to dispatch medicines to patients with the help of this service. "Swiggy Genie was our silent helper. With its exit from Kolkata, we are juggling with delivery headaches. It is not a crisis but a convenience lost," he said.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Sulawesi Selatan: AI guru Andrew Ng recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Aroun...
Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List
Undo
In the past, several consumers across the country raised issues like communication gaps and the disappearance of items by delivery partners. In Jan this year, actress Swastika Mukherjee raised concerns over Swiggy Genie's reliability as she reported that a Swiggy delivery boy stole two tickets for an India vs England cricket match at Eden Gardens. Abhishek Paul, an employee of a private real estate firm, has been using the service regularly since the pandemic-induced lockdown in the city. He said, "Recently, I used Genie three times to send important documents to an office, but I noticed they had timing issues and communication gaps." Users like Jadavpur's Sreeranjani Banerjee were hoping for its relaunch soon.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
12 minutes ago
- Time of India
Bank of Maharashtra slashes retail loan rate by up to 50 bps
State-owned Bank of Maharashtra on Thursday said it has reduced its interest rate by up to 50 basis points on retail loans, including home, car, education and other loans linked with Repo Linked Lending Rate. The interest rate reduction by Pune-based lender is in line with the rate moderation done by RBI last week and the new rates are effective from June 10. With the rate cut , its home loan now starts from 7.35 per cent and car loan from 7.7 per cent, which is among the lowest interest rates in the banking industry, BoM said in a statement. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo This benefit of reduced interest rates reflects the bank's commitment to offer best financing solutions to all its customers and help them fulfil their dreams, it said. In the current interest rate landscape, the bank is making retail loans cheaper to bring in cheer among its customers, it added. Live Events Meanwhile, Bank of Baroda (BoB) also reduced its Marginal Cost of Funds Based Lending Rate (MCLR) by 5 basis points across various tenors from one month to one year. Following the RBI action, many banks have slashed lending rate, and remaining will follow suit soon. On Friday, the RBI slashed benchmark interest rate by a larger-than-expected 50 basis points, and unexpectedly reduced the cash reserve ratio for banks to make available more money to lend in a bid to boost the economy. The RBI's six-member monetary policy committee, headed by Governor Sanjay Malhotra and consisting of three external members, voted five to one to lower the benchmark repurchase or repo rate by 50 basis points to 5.5 per cent. It also slashed the cash reserve ratio by 100 basis points to 3 per cent in tranches that will add Rs 2.5 lakh crore to already surplus liquidity in the banking system.
Time of India
14 minutes ago
- Time of India
Microsoft may have a ‘Copilot plan' for US Defence Department
Microsoft is reportedly preparing to develop a separate version of its Copilot AI tool specifically for the Pentagon. This initiative would shape Microsoft's main generative AI offering for the US Defence Department. Copilot is designed to automate various tasks and support human employees by leveraging AI models. Microsoft has already developed several Copilot tools, including Copilot for Microsoft 365, which operates across productivity software such as PowerPoint, Excel, and Word documents. The potential adoption of a Copilot service by the Pentagon would represent a significant gain for Microsoft. The tech giant has invested substantially in developing these new AI offerings and is actively seeking effective monetisation strategies for them. What Microsoft said about developing a new Copilot AI tool for Pentagon 'For DoD environments, Microsoft 365 Copilot is expected to become available no earlier than summer 2025. Work is ongoing to ensure the offering meets the necessary security and compliance standards,' the company stated in a recent blog written for government customers (seen by Business Insider) In a recent all-hands meeting, Microsoft Chief Commercial Officer Judson Althoff mentioned that one of their customers with over 1 million Microsoft 365 licenses is planning to deploy Copilot, according to attendees. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trading CFD dengan Teknologi dan Kecepatan Lebih Baik IC Markets Mendaftar Undo However, Althoff did not reveal the customer's name, and Microsoft declined to comment. It's important to note that only a handful of organisations have workforces large enough to warrant more than 1 million Copilot seats. The Defence Department fits that profile as it employs about 2.1 million active-duty service members and roughly 770,000 civilians, per a 2023 Government Accountability Office report. Microsoft has also suggested that it will extend Copilot to its Microsoft 365 suite for high-security government customers this year. While Copilot is not yet available on 'GCC-High,' its US government–focused, high-security cloud, a March 31 update confirmed that it will arrive in those environments as early as this summer. 'For organisations in GCC High, Microsoft 365 Copilot remains in development to meet security and compliance requirements. We are planning on a general availability (GA) release this calendar year,' the company explained.
Time of India
14 minutes ago
- Time of India
India in talks with China over rare earth exports, aims for predictability in trade, Maruti cuts EV output
India is actively engaging with China to ensure stability and predictability in trade-related supply chains, following Beijing's recent curbs on rare earth exports that have disrupted the global automotive sector. 'We are in touch with the Chinese side, both here in Delhi as also in Beijing, to bring predictability in supply chain for trade, consistent with international practices,' External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at a press briefing on Thursday. China's export restrictions on key rare earth materials have caused concern among automakers worldwide. Maruti Suzuki, India's largest carmaker, has scaled back near-term production targets for its first electric vehicle due to raw material shortages, Reuters reported earlier this week. The company aimed to produce just 8,000 units by September—down sharply from the originally planned 26,000+ units. The shortfall followed China's move to tighten export restrictions on key rare earth elements and magnets—materials essential for electric vehicle motors. Since April 4, Beijing mandated special licences for exporting seven types of rare earths, including samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, and lutetium. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Upto 15% Discount for Salaried Individuals ICICI Pru Life Insurance Plan Get Quote Undo These materials played a vital role in EV propulsion systems and other high-tech applications such as missiles and defense electronics. 'As of now, there is no impact on production,' Maruti Suzuki Chairman R.C. Bhargava said earlier this week. However, supply-side risks remained, as China controlled over 90% of global processing capacity for these crucial materials. Meanwhile, Several Indian automakers sought government intervention to expedite approvals from Chinese authorities through local vendors for importing rare earth magnets. However, no licences had been granted, resulting in growing uncertainty across the EV and hybrid vehicle manufacturing sectors. Rare earth magnets are critical components in permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs), which are used in EVs for their high torque, efficiency, and compact design. While internal combustion engine vehicles used them more sparingly—such as in electric power steering—their importance in electrified powertrains was substantial. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
