AI-enabled traffic system: Kerala HC seeks govt’s views on delay in payment to firm

Kochi: High court has sought instructions from the state govt on why the amounts allegedly due to SRIT India Ltd, a Bengaluru-based technology infrastructure company, in connection with the implementation and operation of the state-wide AI-enabled automated traffic enforcement and road safety project under the Safe Kerala initiative, have not been disbursed.A bench of Justice A A Ziyad Rahman directed the state govt to file its response by June 19 on a petition filed by SRIT and adjourned the matter to the same day. In its petition, the company alleged that a sum of Rs 36.95 crore remains outstanding towards quarterly payments due to it, apart from amounts that were released only after prolonged and arbitrary delays. The company’s counsel further submitted that it has been incurring a recurring expenditure of nearly Rs 40 lakh per month towards the maintenance of the cameras and monitoring system.The project involves the installation and operationalisation of AI-enabled enforcement systems at 726 locations, the establishment of 14 district control rooms and a central control room, as well as supporting IT infrastructure, mobile enforcement systems, and allied facilities.Earlier, several petitions challenging the project had been filed before HC by V D Satheesan, then leader of opposition and now CM, among others. Subsequently, a division bench headed by the Chief Justice held that there was nothing improper in the implementation of the project. The petitioner now contends that, despite the conclusion of the litigation, the outstanding dues have not been released.