In view of the upcoming pilgrimage season in the world famous Sabarimala Temple, preparations are being made to make the crowd management and security arrangements more modern and technical. Travancore Devaswom Board is considering implementing a new “Pilgrim Management System” based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in this direction.
Thiruvananthapuram: Preparations have begun to make crowd management and security arrangements completely high-tech for the upcoming pilgrimage season at the world famous Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa Temple in Kerala. Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) is now going to implement Artificial Intelligence (AI) based modern Pilgrim Management System, which aims to ensure safety of devotees, crowd control and make the journey more accessible.
This ambitious project has been named “Vision Sabarimala”, which has also received the approval of the Kerala High Court. The scheme is being developed as a joint initiative of the temple administration and the police department.
AI will enable smart management of crowd and security
Travancore Devaswom Board President K. Jayakumar said that this project has been discussed in detail with technical experts and senior police officers from across the country. He said the system will keep a real-time monitor on the movement of devotees using modern technologies such as high-resolution cameras, infrared sensors, drone surveillance and GPS mapping.
The AI system will predict the situation of increasing crowd and send alerts to the authorities. With this, possible jams, stampedes or overcrowded areas can be controlled in advance.
Facility like Google Maps, real-time information to devotees
In the new system, devotees will also get the direct benefit of technology. The system will give them real-time updates on which route is crowded, which area has higher waiting time and which route provides better access for darshan. This facility will work like Google Maps, so that pilgrims will get correct direction and time information during the journey.
AI based facial recognition technology will be used to further strengthen the security system. Pathanamthitta district police chief R. According to Anand, if any child, elderly or devotee goes missing in the crowd, he can be tracked within a few minutes once his photograph is uploaded in the system.
Dependence on police force will reduce
After the implementation of this AI based system, the dependence on deployment of large number of security forces every year is expected to reduce. Moreover, the crowd management system will remain uniform and standardized despite the change of authorities. Experts believe that this model can set a new example for religious tourism destinations in India.
TDB Chairman K. Jayakumar said that the final stage of talks are going on with the police department on this project. Soon, Request for Proposal (RFP) or Expression of Interest (EOI) will be issued for this. The Board aims to move towards implementing the system by completing all preliminary technical processes by August 2026, so that it can be activated in the upcoming pilgrimage season.
Focus also on clean and green Sabarimala
‘Vision Sabarimala’ is not limited to just technological upgradation, but also gives priority to environmental protection. Under the ‘Clean Sabarimala, Green Sabarimala’ campaign, there is a plan to make the temple complex and pilgrimage routes plastic free. For this, new rules are being made with the help of Suchitva Mission, in which waste management will be made mandatory in the tenders of shops and hotels.
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