A new startup in Delhi, CarryMen, is gaining traction by offering shoppers professional assistants to carry their bags and navigate the city’s bustling, often difficult-to-traverse open-air markets. Launched in April, the service allows customers to hire assistants for up to four hours, with pricing starting at 79 rupees for 30 minutes. The company, founded by Ritu Kandari Srivastava and Kanishka Malhotra, was inspired by their own struggles navigating crowded bazaars while managing toddlers and shopping bags.

The service has found a steady customer base among the elderly, pregnant women, and parents with young children, who find the assistance invaluable in markets that lack modern infrastructure like escalators or even surfaces. Assistants are trained to help with logistics, such as carrying prams, queuing for food, and navigating the complex layouts of markets like Lajpat Nagar. For the employees, many of whom have backgrounds in delivery or retail, the company offers full-time salaried positions with benefits, which they describe as a step up from the precarious nature of typical gig economy work.

Despite its practical utility, the startup has become the center of a heated social media debate regarding class dynamics in India. Critics have labeled the service as a symbol of entitlement for the affluent, drawing comparisons to historical labor structures and questioning whether such services exploit low-wage workers. Conversely, supporters argue that the service provides necessary support for vulnerable populations and creates legitimate employment opportunities in a market with high urban unemployment.

As CarryMen looks to expand into other major markets like Chandni Chowk, the founders remain focused on scaling their model while maintaining their commitment to full-time employment. Industry observers, however, remain cautious, noting that the long-term viability of the service will depend on its ability to secure funding and maintain fair labor standards as it grows beyond its current small-scale operations.

Key Takeaways

• CarryMen provides paid shopping assistants in Delhi's open-air markets to help the elderly, parents, and disabled individuals navigate crowded spaces.
• The startup has sparked a national debate over whether the service represents a helpful convenience or an example of social entitlement and labor exploitation.
• Unlike many gig-economy platforms, the founders emphasize that their staff are hired as full-time, salaried employees rather than temporary contractors.

Editor’s Analysis & Impact

The emergence of CarryMen highlights a growing intersection between traditional retail challenges and the modern service economy in India. By addressing the ‘last-mile’ problem of physical shopping in infrastructure-poor environments, the startup has identified a clear market niche. However, its rapid polarization on social media underscores the sensitivity surrounding labor rights and class inequality in the country. From a business perspective, the company’s success hinges on its ability to transition from a boutique service to a scalable model without sacrificing the quality of employment or succumbing to the cost-cutting pressures typical of the gig economy. If they can maintain their current labor model while scaling, they may set a new standard for service-based startups; if they pivot to a more exploitative gig-based structure, they risk significant reputational damage and regulatory scrutiny.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How does the CarryMen service work?
A: Customers can hire assistants at a kiosk in the market for a set duration. The assistants help carry shopping bags, manage prams, queue for food, and navigate the market layout.

Q: Are the assistants considered gig workers?
A: No, the founders state that all CarryMen employees are full-time, salaried staff members, distinguishing their model from typical app-based gig work.