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After tourists’ fight goes viral, Forest Department to test AI cameras at Sinhgad Fort
The trials are expected to begin within the next eight days, a senior Forest Department official said
A viral video showing two groups of tourists fighting at Sinhgad Fort has prompted the Forest Department to expedite crowd-management measures, with the department set to trial Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based cameras at the fort and along the Sinhgad ghat section to monitor tourist movement and regulate entry.
The trials are expected to begin within the next eight days, a senior Forest Department official said. The AI-enabled surveillance system will track vehicles travelling towards the fort, estimate tourist footfall and help regulate entry once the available parking capacity is reached.
The move comes days after a video of a fight between two groups of tourists went viral on social media. The incident, which reportedly involved women as well, took place on Sunday afternoon, August 16.
According to the Forest Department, the AI cameras will primarily monitor vehicle movement along the ghat. Since the fort has multiple entry and exit points, officials believe monitoring vehicles at strategic locations along the approach road will provide a more accurate assessment of visitor numbers than monitoring only at the fort.
“We are soon conducting trials for Artificial Intelligence-based cameras at Sinhgad Fort. The cameras will be installed not only at the fort but also along the ghat section. The exact number of cameras is yet to be decided,” Range Forest officer Manoj Barbole said.
He said once the parking area reaches capacity, additional tourists would be stopped from proceeding towards the fort. The system would also track vehicles leaving the fort to indicate when parking spaces become available.
“The cameras will provide us with the vehicle count. Once the parking area is full, no tourists will be allowed entry. Similarly, when vehicles leave the fort and move down the ghat, the system will provide us with information about the vacant parking spaces,” Barbole said.
The department had earlier announced measures to regulate tourist footfall, including a pre-booking-based entry system, but the system has not yet been implemented.
“Earlier, we tried to restrict entry once the parking space was full. However, many visitors insisted that they should be allowed to enter as they had travelled a long distance to reach the fort and were disappointed when they were stopped. This time, the department will strictly implement the restriction once the parking capacity is reached,” Barbole said.
The AI camera trials are expected to form a key part of the department’s efforts to prevent overcrowding at Sinhgad Fort.
