Exactly a year ago, on January 8, 2025, a stampede at the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) claimed six lives and left 20 people injured. Following a detailed investigation and as part of measures to prevent a recurrence, the TTD, with funding from donors, has established an AI-powered command and control centre—the first of its kind in the world.
The movement of thousands of devotees who visit daily for darshan of Lord Venkateswara, along with the entire temple premises, is now under continuous surveillance through this centre. It operates through 3,200 AI-integrated cameras that closely monitor all activity.
Speaking about the initiative, TTD Additional Executive Officer Venkaiah Chowdary said the centre was set up with the support of NRI donors. He noted that the AI technology deployed is the first of its kind to be implemented in a temple anywhere in the world. The systemprovides a real-time view of operations, enabling officials to track the number of devotees visiting each day. He added that further technological upgrades will be introduced in the coming days, including features to alert authorities about individuals with criminal tendencies. The centre will be fully utilised to ensure there are no untoward incidents in and around the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams area.
Chief Vigilance Officer Murali Krishna, IPS, said the command and control centre is equipped with highly advanced artificial intelligence features. He cited a recent incident in which a car driver accused of misbehaving with a female devotee in Tirupati was apprehended within hours with the help of AI technology. He said the system can identify individuals with criminal tendencies even if they attempt to blend into the crowd, with the software generating alerts within seconds. Officials said the software will be named ‘Govinda’.
Officials also said the system has been divided into three sections to count devotees arriving for darshan via the Alipiri footpath and to assess the number of devotees in each compartment. The software displays the crowd density using colour codes—red for heavy crowds, orange for normal levels and yellow for low numbers. Further enhancements are expected in the coming days, with additional services to be introduced through advanced technology.
The Govinda software uses both 3D and 2D visualisation technologies, presenting a three-dimensional model of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam and tracking devotee movement through CCTV inputs. This virtualisation enables faster service delivery. Any issue in a compartment can be immediately identified at the command centre, with instructions relayed to onground officials via wireless devices. A key feature of the system is its ability to instantly confirm whether an issue has been resolved.
While a command and control centre was already operational in Tirumala under the vigilance department, the addition of AI has significantly strengthened security management and response capabilities.
During major occasions such as Vaikuntha Dwara Darshanam and Ratha Saptami, when large numbers of devotees visit Tirumala, the centre plays a critical role in crowd management. It also assists in cases where children or elderly devotees get separated from their families during heavy footfall.
Murali Krishna said a dedicated system has been introduced to trace and monitor such individuals within a very short time.
