Thrissur/Thiruvananthapuram: As part of the state government’s Safe Kerala initiative, it is a senior parliamentary leader to install artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled CCTV cameras to catch and fine traffic violators. A dispute erupted with a Ramesh Chennithara, alleging massive corruption in award contracts. Contracts and sub-deals to procure and install equipment and project cost escalation.
However, Keltron, which contracted the state PSU to implement the project across Kerala, has denied any wrongdoing. It also denied any involvement in awarding subcontracts by the Bengaluru-based firm SRIT.
Former opposition leader Chennisala said the government had signed a deal with Kerala State Electronics Development Corporation Limited (Keltron) to build a fully automated traffic enforcement system in 2020.
The state PSU then awarded the contract for the project to Bengaluru-based SRIT India Pvt Ltd in violation of the tendering criteria, Chennithala alleged.
“Rs 151.22 crore was allocated for this purpose. Did other companies participate in the tender? Was the contract awarded according to the tender criteria? Keltron should answer these questions,” Chennithala said. says Mr.
Chennithala further added that SRIT, which has no experience in handling such projects, has invested in two Kerala-based companies (Light Master Lighting India Limited, Nalanchira, Thiruvananthapuram, and Rasadio Technologies Private Limited, Malaparamba, Kozhikode). He claimed to have subcontracted the work. I have no experience in that matter.
“This has led Lightmaster to withdraw the contract. None of the companies have experience in the aforementioned work. The government is looting public funds by keeping the PSU as a front line,” Chennisala claimed Did.
He also claimed that the entire deal of Rs 232 crore was more than three times the amount originally forecast by the companies. However, the government projected a cost of Rs 151 crore, which has now escalated to Rs 232 crore.Why is the amount going up?” Chennitara said.
In addition to allegations of financial fraud, he also claimed that the cameras were Automatic License Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras and not AI-based as the government claimed.
“AI is a process. There are no such cameras. These are just ANPR cameras. They are projected as AI cameras to mislead people,” Chennithala argued.
He said if the government does not disclose details of the initiative and why the costs have risen in the next few days, “we will make all the details public.”
In response to Chennitara’s allegations, State Transport Minister Anthony Raju told reporters that Keltron must answer the accusations made by parliamentary leaders.
He said the idea behind the project is to reduce the number of traffic accidents and resulting fatalities caused by traffic violations.
Keltron denies the charges
Denying allegations of wrongdoing, Keltron CMD N Narayana Murthy told Manorama News that PSU’s contract with SRIT was to help build and install the cameras. In rupees, the construction cost is 160 million rupees.
“The subcontact was awarded by SRIT. Keltron was not involved in any such transaction,” he revealed.
