Quick commerce startup Blinkit – acquired by Zomato in 2022 – has now debuted a 10-minute ambulance service, allowing users to access it through the app. After groceries, fashion items, printing documents, stationery, and more, Blinkit has announced this new service. Currently being rolled out as a pilot, the service is expected to expand in a phased manner.
Blinkit – which posted a revenue of ₹1,156 crore in Q2 FY25 – has initially launched its new 10-minute ambulance service in Gurugram. For now, the service will be available in the city with five ambulances. Each ambulance under this new service will come with a paramedic, an assistant, and a trained driver.
Additionally, these ambulances will be equipped with essential life-saving equipment, including oxygen cylinders, an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), a stretcher, a monitor, a suction machine, and necessary emergency medicines and injections.
“We are taking our first step towards solving the problem of providing quick and reliable ambulance service in our cities. The first five ambulances will be on the road in Gurugram starting today. As we expand the service to more areas, you will start seeing an option to book a Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulance through the Blinkit app,” Dhinsa wrote in his post.
However, CEO Albinder Dhindsa also mentioned that the service will expand to all major cities within the next two years. In his post, a photo displays a price tag of Rs 2,000. More importantly, the photo also includes a line stating a condition that neonatal or ventilator care is not supported.
Originally founded as a grocery delivery platform, Grofers, back in 2013 – Blinkit now operates in around 44 cities across the country, including tier-II cities like Haridwar, Jodhpur, Mohali, and Rohtak, among others. Speaking about its financials, Blinkit reported impressive growth in the September quarter of the financial year 2024-25 (Q2 FY25), with revenue more than doubling from ₹505 crore to ₹1,156 crore. On a quarter-on-quarter basis, revenue surged by 23%, rising from ₹942 crore.
Going forward, Blinkit plans to expand its network to 1,000 dark stores by the end of the financial year 2024-25, with an aim to double this number by 2026. Notably, Zomato initiated its Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP) issue in November 2024, aiming to raise ₹8,500 crore (~$1 billion). This move becomes even more significant as the funds raised through the QIP will primarily support the company’s quick commerce unit – Blinkit.
This development comes at a time when the Indian quick commerce sector is witnessing intensified competition, with major giants, including Amazon, eyeing entry into the market. This will further raise the bar for Blinkit and its current rivals – Zepto, BigBasket, Swiggy Instamart, and others. Meanwhile, the Indian quick commerce market is valued at $3.34 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach $9.95 billion within the next five years, with a CAGR of over 4.5% during this period.