TO TACKLE a priority amongst people who has been lengthy related to the Kumbh Mela – that of getting misplaced throughout one of many largest non secular gatherings, anticipated to be attended by round 40 crore individuals in January 2025 in Prayagraj, the Uttar Pradesh authorities, with the assistance of technical consultants, is firming up an in depth “digitalisation” plan.
That is additionally aimed toward offering a state-of-the-art “digital Kumbh” tub expertise to guests, officers stated on Tuesday.
Additionally a part of the plan shall be Google-powered navigation of the Kumbh Mela space to Synthetic Intelligence (AI)-powered cameras, which might recognise faces and a museum of “Digital Kumbh”, through which an try is being made to attach age-old custom with trendy expertise, which might help guests in addition to sadhus coming for the holy dip.
To check the initiative a lot earlier than the precise baths begin in January, a ‘digital misplaced and located centre’ will go stay from December 1 and officers are at work to fulfill the deadline. Having examined the success of AI-powered cameras, now work is underway to put in over 300 AI-enabled cameras throughout the Kumbh areas, which might not solely monitor the gang and supply surveillance however would additionally assist reunite people misplaced within the large crowd.
Having already collaborated with Google, the plan is to coordinate with different social media platforms, together with Fb and X, to offer details about lacking particular person in addition to serving to in finding them.
“As a part of the digital initiative, which might be the primary such large-scale train, there can be Google-integrated navigation maps of the Maha Kumbh space, which might be unfold in acres and divided into sectors.”
“Aside from that, Google-assisted navigation would additionally present places of ghats, temples, akharas and saints, helping not simply pilgrims but in addition saints and seers,” knowledgeable a senior official, including that digital maps would additionally help devotees in reaching the Sangam ghats for the holy tub. He knowledgeable that “on the spot recognition facility with AI-powered face recognition expertise can be being put in place.”
A chatbot named “Kumbh Sahayak” is being developed for the occasion utilizing AI expertise, with the goal to behave as a “private information” to the guests. The goal is to make the service accessible in over 10 languages together with area in addition to worldwide as Kumbh would witness guests not simply from completely different elements of the nation but in addition overseas. This chatbot can be related with on-line navigation of the Maha Kumbh grounds and would additionally replace guests concerning the main occasions and locations inside in addition to outdoors Kumbh space.
The federal government can be investing over Rs 21 crore to construct a “Digital Kumbh museum” in Prayagraj over 10,000 sq. metres with the capability to accommodate round 2,500 guests concurrently at a time. The Digital Kumbh would have a gallery, which might showcase “14 gems of Samudra manthan” intimately. It is going to additionally supply glimpses into earlier Kumbh Melas in Haridwar, Nashik and Ujjain. The concept is to offer an “interactive expertise” showcasing the custom and historical past related to the Kumbh.
