NASHIK: Maharashtra Chief Minister Rajesh Agarwal has directed the authorities concerned to introduce artificial intelligence-based technology for effective crowd management during the 2027 Singhastha Kumbh Mela.The directive was issued during a high-level meeting held in Mumbai to review preparations for the mega religious event. The meeting was attended by government officials and representatives from major AI technology companies.Agarwal considered proposals for AI-powered CCTV surveillance, real-time crowd density mapping, predictive analytics, facial recognition systems to track missing people, and automatic alerts to avoid stampede-like situations. He also reviewed plans to install around 4,000 surveillance cameras and extend fiber optic network to Nashik and Trimbakeshwar ahead of the event.“Detailed discussions were held on the effective use of artificial intelligence in crowd management, traffic regulation, medical services and emergency response during the Kumbh Mela,” said a Kumbh Mela authority official.One of the key proposals discussed was KumbhDoot, an AI-powered assistant being developed in collaboration with nonprofit organizations. KumbhDoot is designed to be accessible even to users with basic feature phones.Officials said the same AI system will work seamlessly across multiple platforms including WhatsApp, IVR helplines, mobile applications and public information kiosks. Pilgrims will be able to seek health advice through this system.Kumbh Mela authorities in Nashik-Trimbakeshwar have also proposed a ‘Kumbu AI stack’ that will enable real-time analysis of data from thousands of surveillance cameras, drones, sensors and mobile networks.
