India uses AI to stop stampedes at world's biggest gathering

AFP | Prayagraj, India
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As the Kumbh Mela, the world’s largest religious gathering, kicks off, organisers are embracing cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) technology in an effort to improve crowd management and prevent stampedes at this massive event. Expected to draw up to 400 million pilgrims over six weeks, the festival, which involves sacred bathing rituals at the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers, has historically seen deadly crowd crushes.

The scale of the Kumbh Mela is staggering, with pilgrims numbering in the millions. Deadly crowd disasters have marred previous editions, with over 400 lives lost in a 1954 stampede and 36 more deaths in 2013. With such a high risk of overcrowding, organisers are turning to AI and advanced surveillance systems to ensure safety and avoid tragedy.

Amit Kumar, a senior police officer overseeing the tech operations at the festival, explained, "We want everyone to go back home happily after having fulfilled their spiritual duties. AI is helping us avoid reaching that critical mass in sensitive places."

To monitor the crowds, over 300 cameras have been installed around the festival grounds and surrounding roads, and drones hover overhead, providing real-time footage to the command center. This data is fed into AI algorithms that calculate crowd density and predict potential dangers by tracking people flow across vast stretches of the site.

"The system sounds an alarm if sections of the crowd become dangerously dense," Kumar said. "We can now manage the flow with better precision."

The Kumbh Mela’s organisers have described this year’s edition as the convergence of tradition and modern technology. AI-driven crowd control is part of a broader effort to ensure that the event’s scale doesn’t compromise the safety of the millions of devotees who attend annually.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath hailed the integration of AI into the festival’s operations, calling it an example of "faith and modernity" working together. For many pilgrims, the presence of cameras and drones provides a sense of security. "The fact that there are cameras and drones makes us feel safe," said Harshit Joshi, a 28-year-old automotive engineer and attendee of the festival.

Despite the technological advancements, Kumar acknowledges that some degree of crowd pressure is unavoidable at such a massive gathering, but with AI monitoring and proactive measures, authorities hope to avoid a repeat of past tragedies.