Amazon India has announced a major expansion of its ‘Ashray’ initiative, a network of dedicated rest centres designed for delivery drivers across the country. The company plans to increase the number of Ashray centres to 250 by the end of 2026, significantly expanding from its current network of 100 facilities operating across multiple Indian cities.
As part of the next phase of this initiative, Amazon plans to launch 50 new Ashray centres by the end of May 2026. The company said the move reflects its growing focus on the health, safety, and well-being of delivery associates, especially during extreme summer conditions.
The Ashray centres are open not only to Amazon delivery partners but also to delivery drivers working for other companies and platforms. These facilities are designed to provide delivery personnel with a comfortable place to rest, recharge, and recover during their daily routes.
Each centre is equipped with air-conditioned seating areas, drinking water, electrolytes, mobile charging points, clean washrooms, first-aid kits, and dedicated resting spaces. According to Amazon, the existing 100 centres spread across 16 Indian cities, including Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Chennai, have already recorded more than one million visits from delivery drivers in 2025 alone.
To further improve accessibility, Amazon has also introduced mobile Ashray units. These are specially designed air-conditioned vans stationed along high-traffic delivery routes. The mobile units allow delivery drivers to access cooling, hydration, and rest facilities without needing to travel to a fixed centre.
The mobile Ashray vans include amenities such as air-conditioned seating, drinking water, Wi-Fi, electrolytes, and charging points for mobile devices. The initiative aims to support delivery personnel who spend long hours on the road, particularly during peak summer months when temperatures rise sharply across many Indian cities.
Speaking about the expansion, Salim R Memon said the initiative is rooted in the belief that every delivery driver deserves access to safe and comfortable resting spaces during work hours.
He stated that scaling the network to 250 centres and introducing mobile facilities demonstrates Amazon’s commitment towards improving working conditions for delivery associates. He also highlighted that the Ashray initiative forms part of Amazon’s broader investment of more than INR 2,800 crore aimed at strengthening associate safety, health, and well-being across its operations network in India.
Amazon is collaborating with organisations such as Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited, Udyasa Foundation, and READ India to establish the new centres across different regions.
Apart from Ashray centres, Amazon has also developed support infrastructure inside its fulfilment centres, sortation hubs, and delivery stations. These include rest zones, break areas, cafeterias, and other employee welfare facilities designed to improve workplace comfort and productivity.
The expansion of Ashray comes at a time when conversations around the welfare and working conditions of gig economy workers are gaining attention across India. With millions of delivery personnel working in fast-growing e-commerce and logistics sectors, initiatives focused on health, hydration, and safety are increasingly becoming important.
By expanding Ashray nationwide, Amazon appears to be positioning the initiative as a larger industry support system rather than a company-only programme, offering essential relief facilities to delivery drivers across the sector.
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