Team huddles begin early at the Flipkart Delivery Hub in Matigara, Siliguri, West Bengal. The city is nestled at the foothills of the Himalayas, and is on the banks of the mighty Mahananda river. Considered the ‘gateway to the North-East’, Siliguri connects some of India’s farthest states to the rest of India.

Tea is an integral part of the team huddle. This comes full circle, as Flipkart Wishmasters also carry shipments to people who work in Siliguri’s tea estates. Wishmasters sort their respective packages into their eKart bags post the tea break, with assistance from the Team Leads.

Wishmaster Rajkumar Yadav, 32, leaves the hub with shipments to deliver across Siliguri. Following his mother’s death, he discontinued his studies to support his family financially, and moved to Mumbai in search of greener pastures. After a few years of uncertainty, he decided to come back home when his friend told him about this opportunity at Flipkart.

The journey to the customer’s doorstep is scenic. Wishmaster Rajkumar Yadav must cross railway tracks and busy areas..

…and stop at bridges to verify his route.

The Siliguri hub delivers to customers who reside in the Sukna forest area - considered one of the gateways to the hills. Wishmaster Rajkumar Yadav pauses before he enters a settlement in this region. Roads are narrow, and landmarks scarce. He draws mental route maps before proceeding to customers’ houses which are far away from each other.

“There are a lot of animals that I see when I come to deliver here. There are cows and goats that go out to graze. But there is also a lot of wildlife that is present in this region. So I deliver here first and then make my way back to the city,” says Rajkumar.

“I have seen elephants, deer, and peacocks. This one time, I thought I saw a kitten a few metres away. I then realised it was a leopard cub! As beautiful as this place is, I finish delivering here well before the sun sets,” he adds.

The delivery hub brings convenience to people living on the outskirts of the jungle, far away from the city. “Flipkart is the only e-commerce company that delivers in these areas,” says Wishmaster Rajkumar.

Settlements are far away from one another in the Sukna forest area. Wishmaster Rajkumar Yadav waits for cattle to cross the road as he heads to deliver a shipment to another customer.

He waves to a customer as he asks for directions to the house. Doorstep deliveries often require walking a little distance from the road.

Wishmaster Rajkumar Yadav tries to locate the next customer as he finishes delivering to the previous one. He checks for customer availability at their homes or workplaces before heading in that direction.

Even while living on the edge of the forest, customers can access what the rest of the country does, right from their homes. “It is a mixture of cash-on-delivery and online payments,” says Wishmaster Rajkumar.

A customer shares the OTP after he is satisfied with the products he ordered. Flipkart’s Open Box Delivery service safeguards customer interests even in remote locations.

Wishmaster Rajkumar enters the Sepoy Dhura Tea Garden region. Just like the forest area, customers are spread far and wide in Siliguri’s vast estates.

He speaks to a customer, trying to locate a landmark. He is now familiar with the different tea estates, and navigates his way with ease.

“A lof of the shipments are for people who work in the tea gardens,” says Rajkumar.

Across winding forest roads and steep hills, Flipkart Wishmasters like Rajkumar Yadav ensure every shipment makes its way to its rightful home in time.