Kochi: A fatal accident that took place at a luxury car dealership in Kochi has now sparked serious concerns about the use of unskilled labour for tasks that require technical expertise. The incident, which took place on Sunday, resulted in the death of Roshan Antony Xavier (36), an employee of the dealership, after a car being unloaded from a truck lost control and crushed him. The car, a high-end model worth over ₹4.5 crore, was being handled by a head-load worker with no technical expertise.

Head-load workers' unions claim unloading rights over all vehicles arriving by truck, charging an average of ₹4,000 for luxury cars and around ₹2,000 for regular ones. Even when specialist drivers are appointed by the dealership to handle the unloading, these casual labourers demand a fee in the form of nokkukooli (gawking wage).

Unloading a vehicle involves connecting its battery and systems before driving it down a ramp provided by the transport company. However, high-end cars come with complex electronics and braking systems, which may not be intended for full activation during unloading. In addition, uneven ramp surfaces often require added acceleration, making the process risky when not handled by trained professionals.

Dealers therefore argue that such vehicles should only be unloaded by in-house technicians who understand the mechanics and electronic systems of the cars. Legally, transporting vehicles from trucks to showrooms requires a trade certificate and the driving of these vehicles during unloading is supposed to be done by the dealership's staff. The head-load worker unions, however, have laid claim to this task too and similar accidents have happened while transporting vehicles by them. Dealers are of the view that these labourers should be allowed to undertake such critical operations only if they are technical expertise.

Though the damaged vehicle may be repaired to showroom condition, the customer who booked it will have to be allotted a replacement. The dealer also points out that until insurance and legal matters are resolved, the burden of liability, which will be around ₹5 crore falls squarely on the dealership for an accident caused by someone else’s negligence.

“Assigning technically demanding tasks to untrained labourers is unacceptable in a state that claims to be progressive. If Kerala wants to be seen as industry-friendly, such outdated and unprofessional practices must come to an end,” said Tony Thomas, former CIO, Nissan Motors.