Daijiworld Media Network - Pathanamthitta
Pathanamthitta, Jun 22: The upcoming annual pilgrimage season at the Sabarimala Temple may witness the introduction of an artificial intelligence (AI)-based crowd management system to ensure smoother movement and safety of devotees.
The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages the temple, along with Kerala Police officials, held a meeting with an expert committee on Saturday to discuss the proposed system.
The pilgrimage season at the hill shrine is scheduled to begin in the second week of November. Last year, the temple witnessed a footfall of around 51 lakh devotees.
Representatives from three AI companies based in Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai presented their proposals before the expert committee, senior TDB officials and police officers.
Pathanamthitta district police superintendent R Anand, who has been assigned to prepare a report on the project, said AI technology would be introduced at Sabarimala in a phased manner to improve crowd management, inter-department coordination and pilgrim safety.
“AI-enabled crowd management has been effectively used during the Maha Kumbh Mela and other large gatherings. Sabarimala requires tailor-made AI solutions considering that the temple is located inside a dense forest. We are planning to deploy the system in a phased manner in the coming season,” he said.
The police officer said the AI system could address several challenges at Sabarimala, including ensuring safer and smoother darshan, tracing missing persons and managing the movement of pilgrims from 26 parking areas without manual intervention.
He added that the technology would also reduce the workload of police personnel deployed during the festival season.
The proposed AI-enabled crowd monitoring system will include AI cameras, drones and GIS mapping technology. Officials said the system would analyse live video feeds to predict crowd density and alert the control room about congestion and movement patterns.
Real-time data generated by the system will help authorities respond quickly to crowd-related issues, while personnel at different locations will receive instant alerts through digital devices.
Virtual queue system to continue
Currently, pilgrims visiting Sabarimala are required to register online through the virtual queue system, where they can select a date and time slot for darshan.
After reaching the base station, devotees proceed towards the shrine by trekking through the forest route. However, during peak periods, pilgrims often face long waiting hours at various camps as part of crowd control measures.
Officials clarified that the existing virtual queue system will continue even after the introduction of the AI-based crowd management system.