Kochi | TDB is considering the introduction of an AI-based pilgrim management system at Sabarimala temple from the upcoming pilgrimage season, its president K Jayakumar said on Saturday.
Jayakumar was speaking at a press conference here after holding discussions with experts from different parts of the country on deploying an AI-enabled crowd management system at the Lord Ayyappa temple.
ADGP Manoj Abraham and Pathanamthitta District Police Chief R Anand also attended the meeting.
The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president said further consultations would be held with the police department before finalising the project's requirements and issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) or Expression of Interest (EoI).
"There are several stages involved. We have to invite proposals, assess the technical and financial capabilities of applicants through an expert committee and then award the work," he said.
According to him, the authorities are aiming to complete the preliminary procedures by August.
Jayakumar said that even if the entire system could not be rolled out immediately, the board hoped to implement at least some of the critical components during the coming pilgrimage season.
"We intend to move towards AI-enabled pilgrim management during this season itself," he said.
Explaining the concept, ADGP Abraham said the proposed platform would integrate technologies such as high-resolution cameras, infrared sensors, drones, GPS mapping and predictive analytics to monitor pilgrim movement and anticipate crowd congestion before it occurs.
According to him, the AI platform would analyse data generated from surveillance systems across the Sabarimala pilgrimage route and identify locations where crowding is likely to develop.
"The objective is to predict crowd build-up before it becomes critical and provide real-time guidance on measures required to regulate pilgrim flow and ensure safety," Abraham said.
The entire pilgrimage ecosystem could be digitally mapped and integrated with live camera feeds and sensor data to provide officials with a real-time picture of crowd movement, enabling them to take preventive measures before bottlenecks emerge, he said.
"The AI system will be capable of generating operational recommendations and communicating them to officials in real time, including during situations such as heavy rain, lightning or sudden crowd surges," Abraham said.
He added that the platform could also provide pilgrims with real-time information on crowd levels, waiting times and route conditions.
"Just as navigation applications guide motorists, pilgrims should be able to receive timely information on crowd conditions and expected waiting times at various locations," he said.
According to Abraham, the system could reduce dependence on large-scale police deployment during the annual pilgrimage season and ensure continuity in crowd-management practices even when personnel change from one season to another.
Pathanamthitta District Police Chief Anand said facial-recognition technology was also being considered as part of the initiative to assist in locating missing pilgrims and enhancing security arrangements.
"With AI-enabled facial-recognition cameras, photographs of missing persons can be uploaded and matched across the camera network to help locate them within minutes," he said.
The technology could be particularly useful in tracing missing children and elderly pilgrims during the peak pilgrimage period, Anand added.
He said the system could also strengthen security by identifying individuals flagged in authorised databases and alerting authorities when required.
Jayakumar said the AI initiative formed part of the larger Vision Sabarimala project, which has already been placed before and accepted by the Kerala High Court.
"This is not an isolated project. It is part of the larger Vision Sabarimala plan. Our goal is a clean and green Sabarimala with better sanitation, scientific waste management and active participation from all stakeholders," he said.
As part of the initiative, new sanitation and waste-management protocols are being prepared in coordination with the Suchitwa Mission.
"Shops, hotels and other establishments are among the major generators of waste. Their agreements and tender conditions will include clear responsibilities relating to waste management and sanitation," he said.
Jayakumar said the authorities were working towards a "Clean Sabarimala, Green Sabarimala" model featuring improved sanitation, scientific waste disposal and reduced plastic use.
He stressed that behavioural change among pilgrims would be crucial to achieving the objectives of the Vision Sabarimala project.
Noting that a majority of pilgrims originate from outside Kerala, he said awareness campaigns would be intensified in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
"Nearly 75 per cent of pilgrims come from these states. Any meaningful change will require awareness campaigns in those states as well," he said.
According to Jayakumar, information on pilgrimage guidelines, environmental responsibilities and dos and don'ts at Sabarimala would be disseminated through publications, social media platforms and other outreach initiatives in multiple languages.
"The goal is to make Sabarimala safer, cleaner and more pilgrim-friendly through the use of technology, better planning and the participation of all stakeholders," he added.
Thiruvananthapuram | Devaswom Minister K Muraleedharan on Saturday said he had forwarded complaints received against TDB member P D Santhosh Kumar to the SIT probing the Sabarimala gold loss case.
Kumar is a CPI(M) leader and a member of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB).
Speaking to reporters here, Muraleedharan said he had received complaints from various employee unions associated with TDB alleging that directions had been issued to post officials who were suspects in the Sabarimala gold loss case to key positions.
"There were complaints. Since Sabarimala-related incidents are being investigated by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), the complaints received were forwarded to the SIT for investigation," he said.
The minister said it was for the SIT to determine whether Kumar had any role in the alleged Sabarimala gold loss case.
"I am not saying that he is guilty. But as a minister, when I receive a complaint, I should forward it to the agency conducting the investigation. I cannot order a separate inquiry as the Kerala High Court has given full powers to the SIT," he said.
Muraleedharan said forwarding the complaints to the SIT was the only course of action available to him at present.
He also denied allegations that he was interfering in the functioning of the Devaswom Boards.
"If a board commits a mistake, it will be pointed out. We will not protect any suspects involved in the Sabarimala gold loss case," he said.
The minister had recently raised questions over the appointment of certain TDB officials, who had been questioned in connection with the gold loss case, to key positions within the board.
The SIT is investigating the alleged loss of gold from the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols and the door frames of the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) of the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala when they were removed for replating in 2019.