Thiruvananthapuram: Motorists beware! The Kerala Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) has bolstered its surveillance system with Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered cameras to make roads safer.

As many as 675 cameras are now functional across Kerala. State Transport Commissioner S Sreejith said the department would impose penalties on traffic rule violators from next month.

The MVD has procured 726 cameras as part of its 'Safe Kerala Project', at a cost of Rs 225 crore. More than 40 cameras each have been installed in every district. While Thiruvananthapuram has 81 operational cameras, Ernakulam and Kozhikode have 62 and 60 cameras, respectively.

Besides national and State highways, cameras have been set up along other major roads. The department has installed 25 cameras to detect illegal parking of vehicles and 18 others to rein in traffic signal violators.

The AI-enabled cameras would be initially used to enforce helmet, seat belt and mobile phones use norms. Violators, once caught on camera, would be notified of the penalty by a text message to their mobile phone number registered with the MVD on the second day, followed by a challan by post to their address.

The MVD would consider penalising violators based on vehicle documents such as insurance in the second phase.