Record-breaking Ashadhi Wari: AI-powered drones count over 27 lakh devotees
To ensure accuracy, the police had divided a 65-acre area in Pandharpur into four sectors and deployed six AI-enabled drones to cover key zones, including bridges, ghat sections, the pradakshina path, and temple premises. The drones captured real-time footage which was then processed to generate an estimated headcount.
'At certain points, over 2,000 devotees were seen crossing the entry bridges per minute,' an official said. Additional data was compiled using vehicle counts from 13 parking zones, multiple bus stands, and over 100 special trains arriving in the temple town. Officials recorded over 50,000 vehicles and more than 6,000 buses during the peak period.
All surveillance and coordination were managed through the integrated command and control centre set up by the Solapur Rural Police.
By early Monday morning, 95% of vehicles and pilgrims had exited Pandharpur, bringing the town back to its regular rhythm. 'The return journey on Monday morning was our biggest challenge,' said Atul Kulkarni, superintendent of police (SP), Solapur rural. 'We identified six major exit routes and deployed one Deputy SP on each. This helped manage the traffic smoothly and avoid any major mishaps.'
To further assist the flow, 100 GaMa commandos on motorcycles with public address systems were deployed along exit routes to guide pilgrims.
Despite the massive crowd, police managed to keep the event largely incident-free. Nine police help centres were established to assist pilgrims, particularly those who were separated from their groups or families. 'We received over 2,700 missing person reports, and nearly all were reunited with their families. The remaining 50–60 are still being traced,' Kulkarni added.
Disaster management teams and trained swimmers were deployed to guard the river areas, and no casualties were reported. A special 'Mauli Squad' kept watch for criminal activity among the crowd. Three police teams from Karnataka—Gulbarga, Bidar, and Bijapur—were also deployed to support the local effort.
While 10 cases of chain snatching were reported, police detained 180 suspects linked to various offences. Authorities enforced a one-way movement system on the pradakshina path and other high-traffic zones, such as the 'desert' area, to prevent overcrowding. Notably, no stampede-like situations or accidents were reported this year.
'The strategic use of AI and drones helped us better monitor the crowd and avoid the usual hold-and-release system at Namdev Payari,' Kulkarni said. 'There were no reports of pushing or stampede-like pressure. It was the most efficiently managed wari we've seen so far.'
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Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Record-breaking Ashadhi Wari: AI-powered drones count over 27 lakh devotees
This year's Ashadhi Wari has officially set a new attendance record, with AI-powered drones deployed for the first time to estimate the number of pilgrims. According to Solapur rural police, the footfall on Ashadhi Ekadashi was between 27 and 28 lakh, captured through drone surveillance from 4 am to midnight on Sunday. The drones captured real-time footage which was then processed to generate an estimated headcount. (HT) To ensure accuracy, the police had divided a 65-acre area in Pandharpur into four sectors and deployed six AI-enabled drones to cover key zones, including bridges, ghat sections, the pradakshina path, and temple premises. The drones captured real-time footage which was then processed to generate an estimated headcount. 'At certain points, over 2,000 devotees were seen crossing the entry bridges per minute,' an official said. Additional data was compiled using vehicle counts from 13 parking zones, multiple bus stands, and over 100 special trains arriving in the temple town. Officials recorded over 50,000 vehicles and more than 6,000 buses during the peak period. All surveillance and coordination were managed through the integrated command and control centre set up by the Solapur Rural Police. By early Monday morning, 95% of vehicles and pilgrims had exited Pandharpur, bringing the town back to its regular rhythm. 'The return journey on Monday morning was our biggest challenge,' said Atul Kulkarni, superintendent of police (SP), Solapur rural. 'We identified six major exit routes and deployed one Deputy SP on each. This helped manage the traffic smoothly and avoid any major mishaps.' To further assist the flow, 100 GaMa commandos on motorcycles with public address systems were deployed along exit routes to guide pilgrims. Despite the massive crowd, police managed to keep the event largely incident-free. Nine police help centres were established to assist pilgrims, particularly those who were separated from their groups or families. 'We received over 2,700 missing person reports, and nearly all were reunited with their families. The remaining 50–60 are still being traced,' Kulkarni added. Disaster management teams and trained swimmers were deployed to guard the river areas, and no casualties were reported. A special 'Mauli Squad' kept watch for criminal activity among the crowd. Three police teams from Karnataka—Gulbarga, Bidar, and Bijapur—were also deployed to support the local effort. While 10 cases of chain snatching were reported, police detained 180 suspects linked to various offences. Authorities enforced a one-way movement system on the pradakshina path and other high-traffic zones, such as the 'desert' area, to prevent overcrowding. Notably, no stampede-like situations or accidents were reported this year. 'The strategic use of AI and drones helped us better monitor the crowd and avoid the usual hold-and-release system at Namdev Payari,' Kulkarni said. 'There were no reports of pushing or stampede-like pressure. It was the most efficiently managed wari we've seen so far.'
Indian Express
16-06-2025
- Indian Express
Final preparations done for Palkhi; tight vehicle curbs in place
As the Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj Palkhi procession prepares to set off from Alandi on June 19, authorities and organisers have undertaken a massive logistical operation to ensure the smooth movement of the Ashadhi Wari pilgrimage. With around 430 dindis joining the procession, each group will be accompanied by food and luggage trucks and two supporting vehicles, forming a well-coordinated caravan that will head toward Pandharpur, the revered abode of Lord Vitthal. Traffic arrangements have been tightened to avoid bottlenecks and reduce pressure on the local administration. Speaking about the preparations, Yogi Niranjan Nath Guru Shantinath, chief trustee of the Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj Sansthan, said, 'We have completed the chariot preparation, conducted the necessary traffic inspections,and issued the RTO certification. Private vehicles will not be allowed as they pose a major burden on local traffic management during the pilgrimage. However, we have issued vehicle passes to essential service providers and residents.' Each dindi will have two trucks allocated for carrying devotees' belongings, along with additional vehicles to assist with logistics and coordination. 'This system allows the palkhi to move seamlessly while minimising delays and ensuring the safety and convenience of the pilgrims,' the chief trustee added. The official journey of the palkhi will begin after the evening aarti on June 19, with the procession expected to leave Alandi at 6am on June 20. The palkhi yatra will span nearly 21 days, culminating in Pandharpur on Ashadhi Ekadashi, where lakhs of Warkaris will converge to offer prayers and get a glimpse of Lord Vitthal. Despite the vastness of the event, the procession has historically been managed with remarkable efficiency, largely due to the discipline and collective spirit of the Warkari community. 'There is always a sense of relief in knowing that the Warkaris themselves maintain order. Their faith, patience, and self-regulation are at the heart of this tradition,' said Yogi Niranjan Nath. As preparations near completion, Alandi is witnessing a surge in spiritual energy. With chants of 'Gyanba-Tukaram' echoing through the town, the sacred journey is once again set to reaffirm Maharashtra's deep-rooted tradition of devotion, community, and faith in motion.
Time of India
07-06-2025
- Time of India
Drones and AI technology to be used for crowd control during Ashadi Wari at Pandharpur
Kolhapur: Solapur collector Kumar Ashirwad announced the district planning committee has sanctioned Rs 1.5 crore for crowd management using drones and AI technology during Ashadi Wari at Pandharpur. The event attracts more than 10 lakh devotees from Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. The district administration has arranged for water release from Ujani dam on June 18 to ensure adequate water levels at the Chandrabhaga ghat in Pandharpur by June 25, considering the devotees' ritual bath during Ashadi Ekadashi. Ashirwad said, "The police department will use AI technology and drones to control the crowd. The number of dindis (warkari groups) has been increasing for the last few years. Rest stops will be provided for the warkaris every 3-4km. These rest stops will be equipped with beds, water, toilets, medical facilities, and other amenities. Encroachments along the road will be removed soon. With rain intensity expected to stay on the higher side, the road potholes will be fixed. " Solapur guardian minister Jaykumar Gore inspected the palkhi route preparations at Phaltan in Satara district and at Pandharpur in Solapur district on Friday. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo "Govt is committed to providing excellent facilities to the warkaris during the Ashadhi Wari period. Also, priority is being given to making this Ashadhi Wari a wari of cleanliness. A separate mechanism will be set up to ensure that the Chandrabhaga riverbed remains clean during the wari period. A cleanliness campaign will be implemented in Pandharpur city with public participation before the wari," he said. The administration will install large pandals at wari halting locations to shelter pilgrims travelling independently to Pandharpur. Gore added: "There will be no fund shortage in any of the works regarding preparations for wari. The work of the palkhi route is underway at Phaltan, and instructions have been given to complete this work in 15 to 20 days."
