Roads are turning death traps for gig workers in Kerala

Kerala roads are increasingly turning into killing fields for gig workers. According to informal data compiled by the Kerala State Concert and Platform Workers Union (KSGPWU) affiliated to the Center of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), more than 30 such workers, mostly food delivery staff, have been killed in road accidents in the state in the last one year.

The union began collecting data after recent traffic accidents that claimed the lives of delivery drivers. According to the data, 16 deliverymen were killed in road accidents in Thiruvananthapuram district alone, while 11 workers were killed in Ernakulam while driving during working hours. The union also recorded three such deaths from Kottayam and two from Thrissur. Time constraints associated with heavy traffic often contribute to higher fatality rates, say workers in the sector.

“The data is incomplete and we have directed our members to immediately record deaths and injuries in accidents during working hours. The information is being collected to ensure that the victims are compensated immediately,” said Sumesh Padman, general secretary of KSGPWU. He claimed that in many cases the insurance claims had not yet been settled and the victims’ families often required assistance in settling compensation.

VS Sunilkumar, secretary, Kerala State Gig Workers Union (AITUC), agreed with Mr. Padman’s concerns about compensation, though the mortality figures compiled by his organization were different. “According to our data, delivery drivers have been killed in 11 accidents since 2022,” he said.

A family in need

On July 9 alone, two deliverymen were killed in road accidents, one each in Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram. While Sunilkumar, 46, a native of Udma in Kasaragod district, was killed after being hit and run over by a private bus in Kochi, Ranjeev, a 35-year-old concert worker, lost his life in an accident in the state capital.

The sudden death of Sunilkumar, who worked for a food delivery app in Kochi, left his family with an unemployed wife, a 13-year-old son and a five-year-old daughter in dire financial straits. “He has just started repaying the home loan. The family is worried about what to do next. The company representative asked us to have all the documents ready to apply for the insurance,” said Rajesh Kumar, Sunilkumar’s brother.

Claim ₹10,000

A company official said on condition of anonymity that the death was immediately reported to higher authorities and the family should be entitled to ₹10 lakh. However, the source could not confirm how long it may take to settle the amount.

Meanwhile, Albin (name changed for privacy), a deliveryman, said many were forced to ignore safety aspects while working. “We are entitled to the full incentive of around ₹500 only if we complete 22 orders and work during the peak shifts of 11:00 am to 3:00 pm and 6:00 pm to 11:00 pm. We suspect that full-time workers are not allocated enough orders to reduce the incentives. Delays in dispatch from some restaurants and frequent phone calls from impatient customers also they increase our fears.

Published – 19 Jul 2026 21:12 IST