Swiggy and Magicpin have reported improvements in delivery times as a significant number of gig workers return to urban areas after participating in recent state elections and the peak harvest season. Anshoo Sharma, Founder and CEO of Magicpin, explained that the return of delivery riders has enhanced rider availability across food delivery platforms, which is crucial for timely service. He anticipates that the food delivery sector could see growth of up to 20% following a challenging period. To assist merchants, Magicpin has introduced an AI assistant named Vera, designed to help manage catalogues and pricing based on real-time data, especially in response to the recent LPG crisis affecting small restaurants. Swiggy acknowledged in its shareholder letter that the overlap of the harvest season and elections temporarily limited the availability of delivery partners, resulting in increased delivery times in some cities. The company has implemented measures such as surge pricing and adjustments to long-distance deliveries to manage high demand. However, Swiggy expects the situation to normalize in the coming weeks.