Hardly 10% of the 240 CCTVs that were installed on highways and arterial roads in Kerala a decade ago are functioning, even as Artificial Intelligence-driven cameras are being installed to enforce speed limits and to detect traffic rule violations across the State as part of the Safe Kerala Project.
The Motor Vehicles department (MVD) not having entered into an annual maintenance contract (AMC) with Keltron has been cited as among the reasons for the old set of cameras falling into disuse over the years. The other reasons include snapping of cables, battery problems, network issues, and damage to components due to the 2018 floods, highway-widening work, and slack upkeep.
The dysfunctional cameras were initially a deterrent to motorists who exceeded speed limits and indulged in other traffic rule violations.
