Cool Stops, Hot Roads: Amazon To Triple Its Ashray Rest Centres For India’s Delivery Drivers

As heatwaves and last‑mile demand rise together, Amazon is betting that safer, more humane working conditions for delivery partners are now core infrastructure, not CSR. Project Ashray, launched in 2024 as a small pilot, has already logged over one million visits from drivers in 2025, and is now set for a nationwide scale‑up.

What Ashray Centres Offer

Ashray centres are free, air‑conditioned rest stops located near high‑traffic delivery zones, designed for all delivery drivers, not just those working with Amazon.

Each site typically provides cool seating, clean drinking water and electrolytes, mobile charging points, Wi‑Fi, clean washrooms, first‑aid kits, basic medical support and parking space, allowing riders to rest for about 30 minutes between routes.

Where And How Amazon Will Grow

Amazon currently operates 100 Ashray centres across 16 cities including Delhi‑NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and other major metros, which together saw over one million driver visits in 2025 alone.

By the end of 2026, the network will reach 250 fixed centres, with 50 new locations going live by May and a total of 150 new centres slated for rollout this year across petrol pumps, commercial hubs and key last‑mile corridors.

Taking Rest Stops To The Route

To serve drivers who may not be close to a fixed centre, Amazon has also introduced mobile Ashray units, air‑conditioned vans parked along dense delivery routes.

These vans carry many of the same amenities as the centres, including cooling, water, electrolytes, Wi‑Fi and charging, effectively turning curb‑side spots into micro‑rest hubs for gig workers.

HPCL And NGOs In The Mix

Amazon is working with partners such as Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), Udyasa Foundation and READ India to host and operate Ashray sites at fuel stations and community locations.

The expansion is part of a broader investment of over ₹2,800 crore earmarked to strengthen safety, health and financial well‑being measures for associates and delivery partners across its Indian operations network.

Rest Stop Insights

• Ashray provides free, air‑conditioned rest centres with water, washrooms, charging and first aid for all delivery drivers
• Network to grow from 100 centres in 16 cities to 250 pan‑India by end‑2026; 50 new sites open by May
• Mobile Ashray vans take cooling and hydration directly to high‑traffic delivery routes
• Built in partnership with HPCL, Udyasa Foundation, READ India and backed by a ₹2,800‑crore safety and well‑being investment

Sources: Amazon India,  Business Standard, Economic Times reports