The Kerala government’s ‘Safe Kerala’ project, under which as many as 726 surveillance cameras powered by artificial intelligence have been installed in the state to prevent traffic violations and reduce road accidents, has been met with criticism from the Opposition Congress and some social media users. After the project was approved in a Cabinet meeting held on April 13, the cameras were inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday, April 20. The penalties for any rule violations as detected by the cameras, installed with the aim of strengthening the Motor Vehicle Department’s enforcement activities, will not be implemented until May.
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President K Sudhakaran urged the government to postpone the traffic reformation using these cameras as there was still some ambiguity regarding the speed limit. “It is heard that VIPs like the ministers have been excluded from camera surveillance. These people are the biggest traffic violators in the state. They should not be excluded at any cost,” he said, adding that he will be in full support of the reforms if they are implemented after fixing the technical flaws.
Meanwhile, Congress MLA and former Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala has raised suspicions regarding the business deal behind the installation of the cameras. He also questioned the government’s decision to implement the project without sensitising people about it first. In a statement, Chennithala alleged that though the details regarding the deal were sought through the Right to Information Act, nothing has been revealed yet. “Who made the deal for this [project]? Was tenders invited for the installation of the cameras? If yes, how many companies were part of it?”
“It has now been understood that the tender was given to a private company via Keltron (Kerala State Electronics Development Corporation Ltd). It has to be made clear what percentage of shares this private company will get from the penalties levied from people?” Chennithala asked. He further stated that it is the government’s responsibility to address all concerns about the project and release information regarding the contracts for the camera installation.
The new traffic exercise has also triggered a social media discussion, with some alleging that the project has been launched with the aim of attracting heavy penalties from ordinary citizens. In response to this allegation, those backing the government criticised the “Keralite attitude” of praising such stern regulations abroad, while opposing the same when they are implemented in their home state.
Thrissur Medical College Hospital forensic department head Unmesh AK said, “As someone who is aware that around half of the more than 200 post mortems done at the hospital every month are caused by road accidents, I wholeheartedly welcome the AI camera project.”
The cause of more than half of the road accidents is negligence, the forensic surgeon said in a Facebook post. “If the helmet hanging from the bike handle was instead worn by the rider, if its strap was properly locked, if traffic signals were followed, if mobile phones were not used while driving... I am happy these kinds of regulations and directions, which should have come into effect earlier, are being implemented at least now,” he added.