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Magh Mela 2026: Fair goes hi-tech with AI surveillance, smart utilities

Authorities are gearing up to install around 200 AI-enabled, infrared, high-resolution cameras at strategic crowd-movement points

Published on: Nov 27, 2025, 04:26:04 IST
By Kenneth John, PRAYAGRAJ
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Building on the technological innovations introduced during Mahakumbh 2025, the upcoming 44-day Magh Mela 2026 is set to unfold on an unprecedented high-tech scale. Authorities are gearing up to install around 200 AI-enabled, infrared, high-resolution cameras at strategic crowd-movement points across the seven sectors of the sprawling fairground.

The tent city on the banks of the Sangam in Prayagraj (HT File Photo)
The tent city on the banks of the Sangam in Prayagraj (HT File Photo)

Linked to the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC), these cameras will provide real-time monitoring to ensure smoother crowd management and enhanced safety.

“The cameras will be equipped with night vision infrared capability for 24x7 surveillance. Each camera, costing around ₹40,000– ₹55,000, will include the cost of internet bandwidth, cabling, speed routers, AI software, etc. The customised software receiving feeds from all cameras will assess crowd density per square meter and detect surges, using colour-coded as well as pop-up alerts,” said Mani Shanker Tripathi, IT manager for the Smart City initiative.

The green zones indicate normal crowd density while yellow zones will indicate caution requiring crowd diversion from that area. Red indicates excess crowd density requiring immediate halt of movement till crowd pressure is eased on the route ahead.

In another major technological leap, QR codes will be installed on all 21,917 electricity poles within the Mela area. Pilgrims can scan these codes for instant GPS-based location identification, aiding navigation and enabling quick reporting of power faults for faster response.

Magh Mela 2026, beginning on Paush Purnima (January 3) and concluding on Mahashivratri (February 15), is expected to draw 12–15 crore pilgrims, with a daily footfall of 20–25 lakh visitors. Spread across 800 hectares, the fair will be divided into seven sectors with 42 designated parking zones for visitors arriving via multiple routes.

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kenneth John

Kenneth John is a seasoned journalist with over three decades of reporting experience with different national dailies. As a correspondent with Hindustan Times, he is known for his impactful grassroots journalism, focusing on stories that amplify the voices of marginalised communities and bring issues of public concern into the spotlight. Over the years, he has reported extensively on education, women and child welfare, health, crime, infrastructure, environment, human rights, rural development, poverty, and public policy. His work has consistently highlighted the challenges faced by vulnerable sections of society, particularly in rural and underserved regions. Recognised for his investigative and human-interest reporting, his notable stories include exposing severe child malnutrition in eastern Uttar Pradesh, where he documented instances of children eating mud to cope with extreme hunger. These reports drew attention to serious gaps in welfare delivery and prompted discussions on policy intervention and accountability. A keen observer of social and cultural transformations, he has covered three Mahakumbhs and two Kumbh Melas at Prayagraj’s Sangam, reporting on their religious, social, cultural, and administrative dimensions. Among his most widely discussed exclusives was the story on Uttar Pradesh’s first all-women gang, “D39,” in Kaushambi, revealing how poverty, child marriage, and domestic abuse pushed several women toward crime. His journalism continues to combine investigative rigour with deep human sensitivity.

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