The 2025 Mahakumbh religious gathering in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, is implementing extensive artificial intelligence and facial recognition systems to manage the anticipated 400 million pilgrims and assist in locating missing persons. The deployment represents one of India’s largest implementations of AI-powered surveillance, building upon similar systems previously tested at metropolitan areas like Gurugram.
The deployment includes over 2,750 CCTV cameras enhanced with AI capabilities for crowd monitoring. Four ‘viewing centers’ have been established to enable real-time surveillance from the Integrated Command and Control Centre, following the successful model of urban surveillance networks deployed across major Indian cities.
“For the first time, we’ll use facial recognition and artificial intelligence to locate lost people,” said Senior Superintendent of Police Rajesh Dwivedi. While acknowledging that the technology may not be foolproof, Dwivedi indicated that “technologies powered by AI could offer better outcomes.”
The system uses face-level cameras positioned strategically to prevent stampedes by delivering real-time notifications about crowd buildup and sudden mass movements. When individuals are reported missing, AI generates digital images to scan crowds via the camera network, a significant advancement from traditional manual search methods used in previous Kumbh festivals.
The initiative includes ‘Khoya-Paya’ centers equipped with 55-inch LED screens connected to public address systems, displaying updates about lost and found persons and items. These centers integrate digital tools and social media platforms to assist in reuniting separated families, building upon India’s existing digital infrastructure for public services.
Additional technological measures include QR codes throughout the venue and a mobile app enabling live location sharing. RFID wristbands containing emergency contact and medical information are being distributed to provide immediate assistance when needed, marking a significant upgrade from the paper-based identification systems used in previous gatherings.
The Mahakumbh Festival, also known as the Maha Kumbh Mela, is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, celebrated by Hindus in India. Occurring once every 12 years at a designated site along one of four sacred rivers—the Ganges (Ganga) in Haridwar, the Yamuna in Allahabad (Prayagraj), the Godavari in Nashik, and the Shipra in Ujjain—the festival holds immense spiritual significance.
Sources: Hindustan Times, Economic Times, Indian Express, National Herald India, Economic Times
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January 15, 2025 – by Ali Nassar-Smith
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