Kozhikode: Amid the heated controversy over the AI camera project in Kerala, evidence has come out confirming that the Trois company had installed cameras at different places across the state on an experimental basis even two years prior to the official launch of the project. It is revealed that Trois and Presadio, which is another company involved in the deal, were confident that the contract would be awarded only to them. This points the finger at collusion by the companies ahead of the project.
The Kerala State Electronics Development Corporation (KELTRON) flouted the tender and signed the contract with SRIT in 2020. However, Trois installed the cameras in 2018 itself. Inexplicably, it was only in 2019 that the Nodal Officer sent a letter to the Transport Department recommending the installation of surveillance cameras as part of the Safe Kerala project. The question of who authorised a private company to collect footage of vehicles by installing cameras even without a contract remains shrouded in mystery.
SRIT, which won the contract from KELTRON in 2020, later signed a subcontract with a consortium formed by the Al Hind Group and Presadio based in Kozhikode. The very next day, the director of Trois approached Al Hind. His demand was that equipment, including the cameras, should be bought for Rs 49 crore from his company. Even though Al Hind pointed out that better equipment could be imported from abroad at this rate, Presadio did not budge.
The argument was that the Transport Department would give its approval only if the equipment was bought from Trois. In order to prove that there was an understanding between Trois and the Transport Department, the details of the proposed project were revealed. These details mention that Trois had installed vehicle surveillance cameras at different places by 2018. The 65-page report also included visuals recorded using these cameras in order to ascertain their efficiency during the 2018-19 period.
Fears over regime change discounted
Al Hind had expressed its fears that the government would change in the 2020 election, possibly affecting the contract. However, Presadio assured Al Hind that the contract would remain even if the regime changed as it had influence at high levels in the government departments concerned. But, Al Hind withdrew from the contract and other companies took its place.
