KOCHI: The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) will implement Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based pilgrim management system at the Sabarimala temple during the upcoming pilgrimage season, which begins mid-November.
The board organised a workshop in Kochi on Saturday, in which representatives of three AI firms from Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai demonstrated the functioning of the technology in managing the movement of pilgrims.
“We are discussing the scope of deploying AI cameras and drones in monitoring crowd movement. The AI system will provide real time data and predictive analysis regarding the movement of pilgrims at Sannidhanam, Pampa and Nilakal.
The system will analyse the crowd and forward messages to the police officers concerned. This will help ease pilgrim movement and avoid building up of crowd pressure,” said TDB president K Jayakumar.
He said the system will also help spot children and elderly who get separated from their groups amid rush. “It will help avoid unscientific parking at Nilakkal and Pampa. The system will also provide inputs to avoid waste accumulation and ensure safety of drinking water resources,” he said.
DGP and Vigilance director Manoj Abraham, who also attended the session, said predictive analysis and real time data provided by the AI system will be helpful in providing suggestions to the police officers deployed along the trekking path to manage the crowd.
‘Face-recognition tech will help trace the missing’
“The system will incorporate high-resolution cameras, infrared cameras and drones to analyse the crowd movement,” he said.
Pathanamthitta District Police Chief R Anand said the AI system with face-recognition technology will assist in tracing missing pilgrims and identifying the presence of anti-social elements.
“We will hold another round of discussion with the police before inviting Expression of Interest for implementation of the project. An expert committee will analyse the technological aspects of the project before awarding the work order.
We have only 150 days left for the commencement of the pilgrim season. So we are planning to complete the procedure by August 10, so that the selected agency gets 90 to 100 days to implement the first phase of the project before the temple opens for the pilgrim season,” said Jayakumar.
The TDB has prepared a vision plan to ensure safety of pilgrims, effective sanitation and prompt service during the pilgrimage season. The document has been approved by the Kerala High Court. “The vision is to professionally redesign and manage the pilgrimage with greater focus on the safety of devotees.
This will ensure greater transparency and accountability in administration. The tender document for opening of hotels and shops at Sabarimala will include provisions for effective waste management. This will help achieve our motto of clean Sabarimala - Green Sabarimala,” he said.
According to the TDB president, around 75% of the pilgrims visiting Sabarimala during the pilgrim season are from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Keralites constitute only 15-20% of the pilgrims. The plan is to launch a campaign in these states to create awareness on the dos and don’ts for Sabarimala pilgrimage.
The board will conduct a social media campaign urging devotees not to embark on pilgrimage without booking their slots through the virtual queue.
A news letter ‘Sabarimala Sandesh’ will be released in English and regional languages to educate the devotees.