Gujarat police to use AI-powered software to manage Rath Yatra crowd
The Gujarat police will deploy an Artificial Intelligence-based surveillance system with drones to prevent a stampede-like situation during the main Rath Yatra procession in Ahmedabad on June 27, an official said.
The move comes as a massive crowd of devotees is expected to attend the event. Taking a cue from recent incidents involving mass gatherings, including the one in Bengaluru, the Ahmedabad crime branch will deploy an AI-powered visual analytics software which will alert police in advance about crowding patterns, Assistant Commissioner of Police Bharat Patel said on Tuesday.
Eleven persons were killed and 56 injured after a stampede on June 4 in front of the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru, where a large number of people gathered to participate in the RCB team's IPL victory celebrations.
"Given stampedes which occurred in some states, we have decided to use an AI-powered software to monitor and manage crowds during the Rath Yatra by real-time processing of visual data," Patel told reporters.
According to police, 14 to 15 lakh people are expected to attend the grand event on June 27. Under the AI system, the visual analytics software at the police control room will receive live video feeds from CCTV cameras and drones deployed on the yatra route, Patel said.
He said the software has been programmed to 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 software would count heads, calculate the maximum capacity of that spot and alert police about future influx at that spot. This advance warning will alert the ground policemen to take immediate preventive steps, such as barricading that spot to stop more people from coming and clearing the area," he said.
The system will also share information about unoccupied spaces near occupied spots, allowing police to shift people to avoid stampedes.
"This system will help us in providing timely response, shift manpower where they are needed and divert traffic if needed," said Patel. He said the AI-powered system is capable of calculating the maximum capacity of a particular spot, its present crowd density and future influx.
This system is currently undergoing tests using feeds of the already installed cameras. The Rath Yatra procession, led by chariots, will start at around 7 am on June 27 from the 400-year-old Lord Jagannath temple in the Jamalpur area.
It will pass through various areas in Old City, including communally sensitive ones, during the 16 km route before returning to the temple by 8 pm. The procession usually consists of 18 decorated elephants, 100 trucks and 30 aakhadas (local gymnasiums). Lakhs of people gather on both sides of the route to catch a glimpse of deities.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
30 minutes ago
- Business Standard
US insurers to more than double AI investment in 3-5 years: Wipro report
A survey of 100 business leaders from US insurance companies with revenues over $500 million indicates that the industry is adopting artificial intelligence (AI), according to a report by Wipro. The report finds that 81 per cent of insurance companies plan to increase their AI spending in the next year. Most firms aim to raise the share of AI in their IT budgets from the current 8 per cent to 20 per cent over the next three to five years, as they work to integrate AI into core processes. 'Investing in a strong data, governance and technical foundation, and aligning AI initiatives to shared business objectives will be critical to success. For firms starting on the journey, prioritising quick wins and investing in building the foundation necessary for scale will be the key,' said Ritesh Talapatra, Vice-President and Sector Head for Capital Markets and Insurance, Wipro Limited. 'Almost all, 92 per cent, of respondents agree that AI is essential for maintaining their competitive edge in customer experience and personalisation,' the report stated. AI integration The report indicates a two-speed market in AI adoption. Larger firms are ahead due to established governance structures and access to extensive data, while mid-sized and smaller firms face challenges such as legacy systems and limited AI expertise. AI is helping insurers to streamline workflows. 'AI is increasingly helping insurers realise enhanced efficiencies and precision in underwriting. While all insurers are working to integrate AI into the underwriting process, only less than half, 46 per cent, say they have extensively implemented AI systems into their underwriting workflows,' the report said. Sixty-eight per cent of insurers expect AI to improve underwriting by increasing risk assessment accuracy and reducing costs. Additionally, 65 per cent believe it will support compliance with regulatory requirements, while 62 per cent anticipate that AI will help improve customer satisfaction and retention. Challenges The survey identifies both external and internal risks as key challenges in AI adoption. While AI supports quicker and more accurate decisions, it also brings potential risks such as bias and reputational issues. The findings show that 21 per cent of insurers, including 44 per cent of smaller firms, do not have formal AI usage policies, which may lead to compliance issues as regulations develop. Integration of AI with existing systems is also a significant concern. According to the report, 71 per cent of insurers face difficulties in merging AI with legacy infrastructure. To address this, 65 per cent of firms are using a phased implementation strategy to manage risk and ensure smoother integration.
Time of India
34 minutes ago
- Time of India
German medical tech firm Brainlab plans Frankfurt IPO in coming weeks
Berlin: German medical technology firm Brainlab is planning an initial public offering on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange in the coming weeks, the company said on Thursday. The Munich-based company said it will list on the regulated market and aims to raise up to 200 million euros ($230 million) through the issuance of new shares. The firm will use the capital increase to grow its business, with a focus on expanding into additional clinical applications, as well as strengthen its balance sheet. The current owners also plan to place additional secondary shares to ensure significant free float, said the company. Majority shareholder Stefan Vilsmeier , who founded the company 35 years ago and recently announced his retirement from the operational business, is set to continue to support the company as a long-term investor. The initial public offering is being organised by Berenberg, Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank, Jefferies, and UniCredit. Evercore is also advising the company, which has around 2,000 employees. Brainlab's main products include software systems that are used as navigational tools by surgeons, for example during brain and hip surgery, and for spinal implants and fractures.
The Hindu
36 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Google offers buyouts to workers; OpenAI in talks with Saudi Arabia, Indian investors to raise funds; Meta, TikTok challenge fees in EU court
Google offers buyouts to workers Google is offering buyouts to more employees in another round of layoffs as the tech giant awaits a court verdict in its search and ads antitrust lawsuit. The Sundar Pichai-led company has confirmed the news although it hasn't disclosed the number of employees who will be affected. The employees are spread across the search, advertising, research and engineering segments. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta is deciding whether to ban Google's exclusive agreement with Apple which sets Chrome as its search browser. The judgment is expected to be given before Labour Day after which Google can appeal last year's decision where the company was defined as a monopoly. The federal judge ruled that Google's digital ads business was said to abuse its market power and tamp down on competition. In 2023, the company laid off 12,000 workers post a hiring splurge that Big Tech companies were on during the pandemic. OpenAI in talks with Saudi Arabia, Indian investors to raise funds OpenAI is reportedly in discussions with new investors including Saudi's PIF, India's Reliance Industries and existing shareholder United Arab Emirates' MGX to raise $40 billion in funds. The investors are expected to invest at least hundreds of millions of dollars each, a report by 'The Information' said. The funds will be used to develop AI infrastructure as a part of their Stargate venture which is in partnership with SoftBank. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman met with Indian IT Minister earlier this year, after which he also planned to meet the Abu Dhabi investment group MGX. The AI firm is also speaking with Coatue and Founders Fund to raise atleast $100 million each. The report also stated that OpenAI could be raising an additional $17 billion in 2027. OpenAI hasn't confirmed the reports yet. Meta, TikTok challenge fees in EU court Meta and TikTok are fighting EU regulators on a supervisory fee and that's levied and how it's calculated, in the second highest court in Europe. The social media platforms called the fee disproportionate and measured on a flawed methodology. The companies along with 16 other tech companies had to pay a supervisory fee which was 0.05% of their annual worldwide net income under the Digital Services Act that became a law in 2022. The fee intends to cover the EU's cost of monitoring their compliance with the law. The size of the annual fee is based on the number of average monthly active users for each platform. Meta said that it wasn't trying to avoid its share of the fee but it was questioning the way the amount had been calculated. A representative for TikTok said that the EU had counted users who logged into their phones and from their laptops twice.
