The 2025 Mahakumbh, is a massive religious gathering in Uttar Pradesh, Prayagraj, India. The Mahakumbh Mela, which began on January 13th and concludes on February 26th, is expected to draw over 450 million devotees to take part in bathing rituals and festivities. To manage this huge crowd and locate missing persons, authorities are implementing a system that combines AI (artificial intelligence) and facial recognition.

This comprehensive system involves several AI-enabled cameras across the event site. These cameras will capture pictures of every individual in the crowd. AI algorithms will analyse captured images in real-time to identify persons.

If some person goes missing on the event site, AI will scan the live camera feeds to locate him/her rapidly. This will significantly accelerate the search process.

The senior police officer explained, “Once a relative reports a missing person at any of the designated counters, AI tools will be used to generate digital images of the missing individuals, which will then be used to scan the crowds via thousands of cameras”.

This AI-enabled system is crucial in densely populated Mahakumbh as traditional search methods are not only time-consuming but also very challenging.

Furthermore, AI systems will also monitor the crowd’s density and movement, which can help prevent stampedes and other risks. By monitoring the crowd patterns, authorities can identify potential hurdles and take measures to keep pilgrims safe.

AI and facial recognition implementation at Mahakumbh showcase a significant advancement in crowd management and tracking missing persons.

By leveraging these advanced tools, authorities will provide a safer and more efficient experience to millions of pilgrims at Mahakumbh.

Source:

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/facial-recognition-ai-how-authorities-are-managing-crowds-at-mahakumbh-101736941836349.html