More than 23,000 security personnel will be deployed during the heavily-patronised Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra in Gujarat's Ahmedabad on June 27, with the highlight being the deployment of an artificial intelligence-based surveillance system for the first time to prevent stampede-like situations, officials said on Thursday.
The AI-based system would also notify police and the fire department in the event of a blaze and warn the police control room about overcrowding along the route, a Gujarat government release said. As per police, 14-15 lakh people are expected to attend the 148th edition of the Yatra.
"Under the AI system, the visual analytics software at the police control room will receive live feeds from CCTV cameras and drones deployed on the route. The software will 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 release said.
"Apart from AI, police will use drones for surveillance and Global Positioning System (GPS)-enabled devices to track real time location of vehicles in the procession. Some 4500 personnel will walk with the procession on the entire route while 1931 personnel will be deployed for traffic management as several routes will be closed and there will be diversions," it added.
A total of 23,884 security personnel, including local police, State Reserve Police (SRP), Chetak Commandos and Rapid Action Force, will be deployed along the route, while senior officials of the force will keep a watch on the procession using 2,872 body-worn cameras linked with the control room, the release said.
It said 41 drones and 96 cameras have been installed at different locations and at 25 watch towers.
Ahead of the 148th Rath Yatra, police had organised 177 meetings of peace committees, 235 meetings of mohalla committees, 57 meetings of women's committees as well as 21 meetings with various religious leaders with the aim of maintaining communal unity and harmony, the release informed.
Traditionally, the procession, led by chariots, starts at 7am from the 400-year-old Lord Jagannath temple in Jamalpur area and returns to it by 8pm, with the 16-kilometre route including the old city, which has some communally sensitive areas.
The procession usually has 18 elephants, 100 trucks, and 30 akhadas, while lakhs of people gather along the route, officials said, adding that the chariots of Lord Jagganath, his brother Balbhadra and sister Subhadra will be pulled by the Khalasi community as per an age-old tradition.
The AI-based system would also notify police and the fire department in the event of a blaze and warn the police control room about overcrowding along the route, a Gujarat government release said. As per police, 14-15 lakh people are expected to attend the 148th edition of the Yatra.
"Under the AI system, the visual analytics software at the police control room will receive live feeds from CCTV cameras and drones deployed on the route. The software will 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 release said.
"Apart from AI, police will use drones for surveillance and Global Positioning System (GPS)-enabled devices to track real time location of vehicles in the procession. Some 4500 personnel will walk with the procession on the entire route while 1931 personnel will be deployed for traffic management as several routes will be closed and there will be diversions," it added.
A total of 23,884 security personnel, including local police, State Reserve Police (SRP), Chetak Commandos and Rapid Action Force, will be deployed along the route, while senior officials of the force will keep a watch on the procession using 2,872 body-worn cameras linked with the control room, the release said.
It said 41 drones and 96 cameras have been installed at different locations and at 25 watch towers.
Ahead of the 148th Rath Yatra, police had organised 177 meetings of peace committees, 235 meetings of mohalla committees, 57 meetings of women's committees as well as 21 meetings with various religious leaders with the aim of maintaining communal unity and harmony, the release informed.
Traditionally, the procession, led by chariots, starts at 7am from the 400-year-old Lord Jagannath temple in Jamalpur area and returns to it by 8pm, with the 16-kilometre route including the old city, which has some communally sensitive areas.
The procession usually has 18 elephants, 100 trucks, and 30 akhadas, while lakhs of people gather along the route, officials said, adding that the chariots of Lord Jagganath, his brother Balbhadra and sister Subhadra will be pulled by the Khalasi community as per an age-old tradition.
You may also like
Indian Army hails wrestlers' medal haul at U-23 Asian Championship
Yogi government gives a big gift to cricketer Rinku Singh, now he will work as an officer in this department of UP
Lionel Messi's unseen act in Club World Cup tunnel shows true colours after storming off
Kate Middleton and Prince William attacked by activists with 'ridiculous' pet complaint
U.S. economy shrank 0.5% between January and March, worse than earlier estimates revealed
