One of the rarest, exceptional Maha Kumbh Mela is set to take off on 13th, January and ends on 26th, February with Maha Shivaratri amounting to 44 days in Prayagraj of Uttar Pradesh. It takes place once for every 144 years, and is ordained by a rare alignment of four planets. Government expects that around 45 crore pilgrims are likely to take a dip in the holy river confluence for a spiritual rejuvenation.
As Maha Kumbh Mela is a massive religious and cultural event that draws millions of pilgrims, requiring extensive use of technology to ensure smooth operations. Some of the key technologies are typically deployed during the Holy program.
For communication and updates, Maha Kumbh Mela Mobile App 2025 launched to provide pilgrims with program updates, navigation, event schedules, and emergency contacts. UP Police has already launched Maha Kumbh Police App to strengthen security. Police personnel also started Digital lost and found centers. As millions of pilgrims expected to attend, extensive data is needed to analyse carefully for crowd management. AI enabled solutions are being used to improve inter agency coordination, detect potential threats promptly, and generate actionable intelligence for security.
The UP government started a website Portal and Centralized platforms for real-time updates, registration, and event information for the pilgrims. Free public Wi-Fi services by various telecom companies also help visitors stay connected and access information. To cater the massive demand, 78 cell towers on wheels and 150 outdoor small cell towers have been deployed to ensure smooth communication in crowded zones.
The Park+ app for smart parking systems, it manages parking lots with real-time occupancy data and navigation tools such as digital maps and location-based services guide pilgrims to key areas like ghats, tents, and temples. GPS Tracking has been used for real-time tracking of vehicles, security personnel, and key resources. To manage the crowd, AI and Big Data technologies have been used to analyze crowd density and predict movement patterns to prevent overcrowding.
To ensure the safety of pilgrims Aerial surveillance drones have been installed. Drones will monitor crowds and ensure safety. To ensure Public Safety and Security, the State government has deployed 2751 CCTV Cameras across the Triveni Sangam including 328 AI enabled cameras and monitored by control room 24/7. To identify and help the missing persons and monitor potential threats, the state government has installed Facial Recognition Systems. Emergency response systems have been incorporated, Integrated systems connect control rooms with field personnel for quick response. Drones have been used for safety.
Apart from that, the Government has given high priority to Healthcare and Sanitation. Doctors and specialists provide consultations via video conferencing for remote camps. Smart Toilets for the pilgrims, which are Eco-friendly and technology-enabled sanitation facilities. As the pilgrims visit from the various parts of the country and due to climate change, health may get affected. To ensure the safety of Ganga water for bathing and drinking, a Real-time Water Quality Monitoring system has been placed.
It seems the state government is committed to providing quality services to the visitors, boost in Infrastructure taking place at the Triveni Sangam in the form of temporary smart Cities. They are fully functional temporary settlements equipped with energy-efficient street lighting and robust water supply. To reduce the dependency on the electricity board and ensure the power supply fully solar panels have been installed. These solar panels provide energy for lights, charging stations, and other utilities.
In addition, To improve the quality services and to increase the efficiency, the State government is encouraging the vendors to use cashless transactions such as Mobile wallets and UPI-based payments ease transactions for pilgrims and vendors.
Due to the aging or some other issues, some of the devotees may not participate in Maha Kumbh Mela in person. For them Broadcasts enable global participation through live streaming.
As we all know, Social media platforms became part of our life. Many Social Me dia accounts have been created, to give updates, public announcements, and promote awareness.
Global warming is a concern for many environmentalists due to pollution. To reduce the carbon emissions and pollution, E-rickshaws and Green Vehicles have been arranged, Sustainable transport options are encouraged by the UP state government. To ensure a healthy environment and to monitor the pollution levels UP state government is using the Air Quality Sensors.
The state government is expecting around 45 crore pilgrims to participate in the Kumbh Mela. In such a situation, Waste management is one of the biggest challenges for any government. To address the issue, the Government adopted Waste Management Technology such as modern systems for garbage collection, segregation, and recycling.
These technologies will ensure efficient management of the event, addressing the challenges of scale, safety, and sustainability.
Dr. K. Venkatakrishna Rao, Assistant Professor in dept of CSE at NIT Warangal and Visiting Fellow at India Foundation, New Delhi
