Gujarat: AI-Based System To Prevent Stampede-Like Situation During Rath Yatra

The Rath Yatra procession, led by chariots, will start at around 7 am on June 27 from the 400-year-old Lord Jagannath temple in the Jamalpur area.

he procession usually consists of 18 decorated elephants, 100 trucks and 30 aakhadas.

Source : PTI

Ahmedabad: The Gujarat police will deploy an Artificial Intelligence-based surveillance system with drones to prevent a stampede-like situation during the main Rath Yatra procession in Ahmedabad on June 27, an official said.

The move comes as a massive crowd of devotees is expected to attend the event.

Taking a cue from recent incidents involving mass gatherings, including the one in Bengaluru, the Ahmedabad crime branch will deploy an AI-powered visual analytics software which will alert police in advance about crowding patterns, Assistant Commissioner of Police Bharat Patel said on Tuesday.

Eleven persons were killed and 56 injured after a stampede on June 4 in front of the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru, where a large number of people gathered to participate in the RCB team's IPL victory celebrations.

"Given stampedes which occurred in some states, we have decided to use an AI-powered software to monitor and manage crowds during the Rath Yatra by real-time processing of visual data," Patel told reporters.

According to police, 14 to 15 lakh people are expected to attend the grand event on June 27.

Under the AI system, the visual analytics software at the police control room will receive live video feeds from CCTV cameras and drones deployed on the yatra route, Patel said.

He said the software has been programmed to analyse the live feed to estimate the number of persons present at that particular spot and how many more are expected to arrive in a short period.

"The software would count heads, calculate the maximum capacity of that spot and alert police about future influx at that spot. This advance warning will alert the ground policemen to take immediate preventive steps, such as barricading that spot to stop more people from coming and clearing the area," he said.

The system will also share information about unoccupied spaces near occupied spots, allowing police to shift people to avoid stampedes.

"This system will help us in providing a timely response, shift manpower where they are needed and divert traffic if needed," said Patel.

He said the AI-powered system is capable of calculating the maximum capacity of a particular spot, its present crowd density and future influx.

This system is currently undergoing tests using feeds of the already installed cameras.

The Rath Yatra procession, led by chariots, will start at around 7 am on June 27 from the 400-year-old Lord Jagannath temple in the Jamalpur area. It will pass through various areas in Old City, including communally sensitive ones, during the 16 km route before returning to the temple by 8 pm.

The procession usually consists of 18 decorated elephants, 100 trucks and 30 aakhadas (local gymnasiums). Lakhs of people gather on both sides of the route to catch a glimpse of the deities. 

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