{
  "id": 18464668,
  "title": "Kochi IT fraternity launches campaign for road safety as speeding bus kills colleague",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/06/kochi-it-fraternity-launches-campaign-for-road-safety-as-speeding-bus",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-06T07:55:55.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu",
    "slug": "the-hindu",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/kochi-it-fraternity-launches-campaign-for-road-safety-as-speeding-bus-kills-colleague/article71673147.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A group of IT professionals from Infopark, Kochi, have launched a campaign to improve road safety near their campus following a tragic accident that claimed the life of a fellow colleague. Progressive Techies, a collective of IT professionals in the State, initiated a digital signature campaign that has already received more than 4,000 signatures within the first day. The group is also seeking legal action to address the persistent traffic issues in the area, which pose a significant risk to commuters and pedestrians.\n\nThe fatal incident occurred when Akshara A., a 28-year-old senior consultant at EY, was struck and killed by a bus allegedly driving at high speed while she was walking home after her gym session at IMG Junction, Kakkanad. Her death prompted a candlelit vigil at Infopark on Thursday evening, attended by colleagues from various companies. The employees aim to evict encroachments along the stretch of road from IMG Junction to Infopark Road to make it safer for both motorists and pedestrians.\n\nAnish Panthalani, co-founder of Progressive Techies, stated that their primary demand is to remove the encroachments and alleviate congestion, as the stretch often becomes so crowded that there isn't enough space for pedestrians. They have set a target of collecting 20,000 signatures, after which they will forward their complaint to the authorities, including the District Collector, Chief Minister, and Public Works Minister.\n\nThe issue of road safety poses a recurring problem on many arterial roads surrounding Infopark, such as Pallikkara and Edachira, which are frequently used by IT professionals. A public interest litigation seeking a permanent solution is also being considered. IT professionals have frequently faced accidents on these roads, partly due to the stray dog menace.\n\nThe All India Professionals’ Congress (AIPC) Infopark chapter has also initiated a campaign in response to Akshara’s death. They will host a 'Listening Circle' on the campus on Friday evening, allowing employees to voice their concerns about traffic safety. Eldho Chirackalchalil, district president of AIPC, mentioned that the chapter has already communicated the safety concerns to the Home Minister and Transport Minister, urging strict action against the responsible driver in the fatal accident.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "IT professionals launch campaign for road safety after colleague's death.",
    "Digital signature campaign garners over 4,000 signatures in first day.",
    "Encroachments and congestion targeted to improve pedestrian safety."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}