Chennai Opens 24x7 AC Lounges for Gig Workers

The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has opened two air-conditioned lounges for gig workers in Anna Nagar and K.K. Nagar. These lounges have been launched for food delivery executives, cab drivers, and other gig workers, who lack proper resting places while spending long hours on the road commuting from one place to another.
Now, the city’s gig workers have a clean and safe space where they can relax during breaks. Chennai has an estimated 8 lakh gig workers, and it includes a substantial number of women workers too.

The lounge in Anna Nagar, located on 3rd Avenue, was opened on June 11, 2025. The other lounge was inaugurated on the same day in K.K. Nagar, in an area with a large number of women gig workers.

Both lounges are open 24 hours a day and can seat up to 25 people at a time. The spaces are air-conditioned and equipped with drinking water, charging points for mobile phones, restrooms, seating benches, and security arrangements.

Each facility has a guard, and CCTV cameras and real-time surveillance systems are also planned. The Anna Nagar lounge was built at a cost of Rs 25 lakh.

These lounges are free to use, but gig workers are required to register before entering. Around 20 parking spaces are available for two-wheelers at each site. The design of the lounges follows a Scandinavian model, with compact structures that are easy to maintain.

“These lounges will offer much-needed respite for delivery workers who are on the move for hours. The facilities include air conditioning, charging points for mobile devices, clean toilets, and LED lighting to ensure road visibility and safety at night,” said a senior GCC official.


GCC plans to open a total of 10 such lounges across the city in places such as T. Nagar, Thiruvanmiyur, Royapettah, Mylapore, Villivakkam, and Nungambakkam. The civic body is also looking at using CSR funding to support this project. - TWL Bureau with IANS