Patna, Jul 25 (IANS): The Bhagalpur administration has installed an E-People Counting Machine (EPCM) to manage the flow of Kanwariyas on the Sultanganj-Deoghar route and prevent overcrowding.

The EPCM functions using sensors that read the heartbeats of Kanwariyas, allowing it to gather data on the number of individuals walking along the route.

The EPCM is being installed at the Dhani-Belari Chowk in Bhagalpur District, a key junction where roads from Bhagalpur, Munger, and Banka converge.

Vishal Kumar, an official of the firm installing the EPCM deployed at the Dhani-Belari Chowk, said, "We have installed the machine to count the number of Kanwariyas walking on the Sultanganj-Deoghar route. The idea is to count their numbers and regularly update the Bhagalpur, Banka, and Deoghar administration to take measures for crowd control."

He added, "A few years ago, a stampede occurred in Deoghar due to excessive crowds. This device will help the administration to be aware of the number of Kanwariyas in the districts they pass through."

During the month of Sawan, lakhs of Lord Shiva devotees, known as Kanwariyas, travel from the banks of the Ganga River in Sultanganj, Bhagalpur Districts, and journey 105 kms to Deoghar in Jharkhand, via Banka District.

In 2015, a stampede at the Deoghar temple led to 10 fatalities and left many people injured.