Published Sep 23, 2026 | 7:29 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 23, 2026 | 7:29 PM
The first GigOne Centre was opened in Thiruvananthapuram.
Synopsis: The GigOn Centre will remain open from 8 am to 10 pm, operating in two shifts with two staff members assigned to each shift. Gig workers can use the facility for seating and rest, drinking water, toilets, dining, Wi-Fi, mobile-phone charging and watching television. The government plans to establish GigOn Centres in all 14 districts, with Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Kozhikode covered in the first phase.
For hundreds of delivery executives and app-based drivers who often struggle to find even a few minutes of rest during long working hours, Keralam has opened its first dedicated wellness centre.
The Labour Department’s GigOn Centre, inaugurated at Vanross Junction, Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday, 23 September, offers gig and platform workers a space to rest and access basic amenities free of cost.
The centre was set up as part of the state government’s 100-day action plan and addresses a long-standing demand from gig workers’ unions for designated resting spaces and washrooms.
Workers can use the facility for seating and rest, drinking water, toilets, dining, Wi-Fi, mobile-phone charging and watching television.
The centre will remain open from 8 am to 10 pm, operating in two shifts with two staff members assigned to each shift.
Labour Minister Bindu Krishna said the government plans to establish GigOn Centres in all 14 districts, with Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Kozhikode covered in the first phase.
The government has earmarked ₹1 crore for the initiative.
The department will assess how the three centres are functioning before expanding the programme to other districts.
The Minister said GigOn was conceived not merely as a place for workers to rest but as a broader welfare and safety intervention for a workforce that operates largely outside conventional workplaces.
She said the Labour Department would also intervene when gig workers face issues relating to wages, loss of employment, workplace safety or denial of basic amenities.
Such issues would be addressed through dialogue, she said, adding that the government’s objective was to create a work environment that was friendly to both employers and employees.
The state is also considering legislation to provide a broader welfare framework for gig and platform workers, with a Gig Workers’ Bill under consideration.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
