Former Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala has accused the Keltron management of overpricing the Artificial Intelligence-enabled cameras installed for the Safe Kerala project to help corporate firms.
He told the media on Sunday that when a query under the Right to Information Act was filed to know the exact price of the cameras, the Keltron management replied that it could not be revealed as it would affect the business interests of the private company that bagged the sub-contract for installation. This did not suit a public sector undertaking company such as Keltron, Mr. Chennithala said.
N. Narayana Moorthy, Chairman and Managing Director, Keltron, however, had earlier said that each camera would cost ₹9 lakh. “Everyone knows that these cameras are available in the market for ₹1 lakh. Keltron is trying to fool the people,” Mr. Chennithala alleged. The Congress leader also released documents to show that Akshara Enterprises, one of the three companies that participated in the bidding process to get a sub-contract, had quoted ₹10 lakh for a camera. “When it is possible to buy the cameras with the required specification from the market for ₹1 lakh, the attempt was to buy separate parts, assemble them, and fix the price at ₹10 lakh,” he alleged.
