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Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
AI to rescue city burdened by crowds
1 2 Varanasi: The Varanasi Municipal Corporation (VMC) has joined hands with Toyota Mobility Foundation for selection of five organisations through which the challenge of crowd management would be met. Municipal commissioner and chief executive officer of Varanasi Smart City Ltd, Akshat Verma, said that through the Sustainable Cities Challenge, Varanasi was setting a global example of how historic cities could embrace innovation without compromising their core identity. He expressed hope these organisations would be successful in managing crowds in Varanasi and provide significant convenience to pilgrims, tourists and local residents and the world would view Varanasi as a model in crowd management. On Thursday, TMF announced finalists for a three-million-dollar global challenge to transform crowd management in the ancient city of Varanasi. The selected five organisations include innovators involved in sustainable design, mobility data, artificial intelligence, urban planning and human-centred design and their goal was to enhance crowd management to make the historic city safer and more accessible for residents and tourists. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Kate Middleton's Daring Outfit Took Prince William's Breath Away Crowdy Fan Undo Developed in collaboration with VMC, Challenge Works and World Resources Institute, this projectg aimed to improve pedestrian and pilgrim movement in Kashi and to find innovative solutions to crowd-related issues. Millions of pilgrims visit Varanasi round the year. Previously, Toyota Mobility Foundation invited 10 semifinalists from world-class companies to develop their concept within six months. After evaluation by a panel of expert judges, five participants were chosen as finalists based on criteria such as crowd management, effectiveness, supporting data, scalability and team capability. The judges sought solutions that could help manage large crowds, improve safety, accessibility and movement in narrow lanes in order to change crowd behaviour. The solutions also needed to demonstrate a solid understanding of the needs of locals and tourists, as well as implementation feasibility. The first organisation, Arcadis, proposed SANKALP, an integrated ecosystem using real-time data and advanced simulations for proactive crowd management. The second is CITYDATA Inc, introducing CityFlow, a cloud-based solution leveraging big data and AI to monitor and manage crowds in real time without additional hardware. VOGIC AL, developing Behtar-Way, is India's first AI-powered pedestrian navigation platform to guide citizens through safer routes and provide real-time crowd intelligence to officials. Fourth is Prameya Consulting Private Limited, presenting Nayichaal, a phygital AI ecosystem that combines a chatbot, navigation app, wayfinding signage, and a mobility dashboard to enhance mobility and safety. The fifth organisation is The Urbanizer, offering Jan Jatra, a mobility solution that integrates local insights with colour-coded wayfinding and dynamic signage to improve navigation and safety. Each finalist team will receive 130,000 dollars (Rs 1.08 crore) in implementation funding to test and demonstrate their proposed solutions in Kashi. TMF's executive programme director, Pras Ganesh mentioned that the selected five companies would not only work to improve smooth and safe access and mobility in Kashi but also manage crowds effectively in densely populated cities like Varanasi. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and s ilver prices in your area.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Toyota Mobility Foundation unveils finalists for $3 mn challenge to tackle crowd management in Varanasi
The Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF) has announced five finalists for its $3 million Sustainable Cities Challenge , aimed at transforming crowd management in the historic city of Varanasi. The finalists will each receive $130,000 to pilot their innovative solutions in Kashi, with the potential to scale across the city. The challenge, launched in collaboration with the Varanasi Municipal Corporation, Challenge Works, and the World Resources Institute, invited global innovators to address congestion and enhance pedestrian and pilgrimage flow in one of India's oldest cities. The five selected teams are: Arcadis: Their 'SANKALP' system integrates mobile technology, real-time data and simulations for proactive crowd management. Offers 'CityFlow', an AI-powered, cloud-based platform using big data and computer vision for real-time crowd insights. VOGIC AI: Developed 'Behtar-Way', India's first hyperlocal, AI-driven pedestrian navigation tool tailored to dynamic urban environments. Prameya Consulting: Introduced 'Nayichaal', a 'phygital' platform combining apps, signage, and dashboards for inclusive and safe mobility. The Urbanizer: Proposed 'Jan Jatra', a people-first wayfinding solution combining digital signage, colour-coded routes, and tactical urbanism. 'These finalists are helping us reimagine movement through Kashi while preserving its cultural essence,' said Akshat Verma, IAS, Municipal Commissioner, Varanasi. 'Their work reflects the spirit of innovation rooted in local realities.' The pilots will be evaluated for long-term impact and scalability, with final implementation grants to be awarded in 2026. The Varanasi challenge is one of three global city challenges under TMF's initiative, alongside Detroit and Venice, aimed at creating sustainable urban mobility solutions worldwide.
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Toyota Mobility Foundation picks 5 finalists for $3 million challenge to improve crowd management in Varanasi
The Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF) on Thursday, August 7, announced five finalists for its $3 million Sustainable Cities Challenge. The initiative is aimed at improving crowd management in Varanasi's historic city, Kashi. The foundation will award each of the finalists $130,000 in funding to steer their innovative solution that has been designed to improve safety and accessibility for millions of residents and pilgrims. The challenge has been created in partnership with the Varanasi Municipal Corporation, Challenge Works, and the World Resources Institute (WRI). It aims to address critical crowd flow issues through the narrow lanes of the city. The shortlisted solutions showcase a combination of technologies such as AI, big data, and real-time navigation with human-centred urban design. Three of the finalists are from India, while the remaining two are from the US and the Netherlands. From the Indian entries, VOGIC AI introduced the Behtar-Way platform that offers real-time, hyperlocal pedestrian navigation and crowd intelligence for city officials; Premeya Consulting (India) introduced the Nayichaal system that integrates signage, an AI chatbot, and a mobility dashboard to create a safer pedestrian experience; and The Urbanizer showcased Jan Jatra solutions that combine community-driven wayfinding and tactical urbanism to guide pilgrims and visitors. Meanwhile, Arcadis from the Netherlands showed SANKALP, which uses real-time data, mobile tech, and simulations to shift from reactive to proactive crowd management. On the other hand, from the US presented the CityFlow platform that uses generative AI and big data to monitor and manage crowds without additional hardware. Talking about the challenge, TMF's executive program director, Pras Ganesh, said, 'We're excited to see these solutions brought to life, not only to improve movement in Kashi but also to serve as a benchmark for other heritage cities worldwide.' 'These solutions aim to enhance safety and preserve the cultural and spiritual fabric of the city,' said Akshat Verma, Municipal Commissioner and CEO of the Varanasi Smart City project. Verma said that the initiative sets a global benchmark for balancing tradition and innovation. Meanwhile, Avinash Dubedi from WRI added, 'This is about more than congestion; it's about enabling dignified movement for all, including those with special needs.' TMF's Sustainable Cities Challenge is a three-year global initiative that is supporting urban mobility transformation in Varanasi, Detroit, and Venice. Final winners in each city will receive further funding in 2026 to scale their solutions. The $3 million is distributed as $50,000 for 10 semi-finalists to work on their early ideas, $130,000 for five finalists to build working solutions, and three winners will share $1.5 million to implement the best solutions in the city.
