AI-Driven Crowd Management to Prevent Stampedes at Kumbh Mela 2025

Organisers of the Kumbh Mela, the world’s largest human gathering, are using artificial intelligence (AI) for the first time to improve crowd management and prevent deadly stampedes. The festival, which began on January 15 and will last for six weeks, is expected to draw up to 400 million pilgrims to Prayagraj in northern India.

Historically, the Kumbh Mela has been marred by tragic crowd crushes, with over 400 people killed in a stampede in 1954 and 36 fatalities during the 2013 festival. To address these concerns, authorities have deployed cutting-edge technology including over 300 cameras and drones to monitor crowd density in real time. The footage feeds into an AI algorithm that tracks crowd flow, cross-referencing the data with information from transport services.

Senior police officer Amit Kumar, who is leading the tech operations, explained that the AI system can alert authorities when crowd density reaches dangerous levels, ensuring swift interventions. The system’s ability to track the flow of millions of people has been hailed as a crucial step towards ensuring the safety of pilgrims.

With the festival drawing crowds that could rival the combined populations of the United States and Canada, organisers are hopeful that the use of AI will significantly reduce the risk of tragedy while maintaining the sacred and spiritual essence of the event.