UP govt estimates 45 crore devotees will attend Mahakumbh, says managing crowd major challenge

The Uttar Pradesh government estimates that more than 45 crore people will attend the Maha Kumbh this time.

In just six days of the Maha Kumbh Mela, more than seven crore devotees, Kalpavasis and revered seers have taken a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam.

Mahakumbh 2025 Live: Sadhus arrive in Prayagraj on January 14, 2025, to take a dip in Sangam, the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati rivers, for Shahi Snan, or 'royal bath', during the Maha Kumbh Mela festival. (AFP)

The Uttar Pradesh government estimates that more than 45 crore people will attend the Maha Kumbh this time, according to an official statement.

With such a massive influx of devotees, the security of the crowd is a major challenge for the Maha Kumbh Police, the statement said.

However, the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC), set up in the fair area, is proving to be a boon in managing the crowd.

It not only helps control the huge influx of devotees, but also plays a key role in various types of surveillance, the statement said.

ICCC role in Maha Kumbh

The ICCC played an important role in managing the massive crowd on the first day of the Maha Kumbh, specifically during the "Paush Purnima Snan" and "Amrit Snan" on Makar Sankranti.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Amit Kumar, the in-charge of the ICCC, said 2,750 cameras have been installed. The cameras monitor not only the fair area, but also the entire city, he added.

"Surveillance is conducted from three angles: security, crowd management and crime prevention," the officer was quoted as saying in the statement.

"With the cameras, we can monitor aspects like crowd flow, surveillance and fire safety. For crowd management, we track the flow of people, where the crowd is concentrated and how to regulate it. This technique helps us direct the crowd to areas with less congestion," he said.

In addition to crowd management, the cameras also aid in fire surveillance.

"We monitor for any signs of smoke or flames," the SP said.

"Parking areas are also under constant surveillance. Cameras installed in each parking lot indicate whether they are full or empty. When a parking lot reaches its capacity, we close it and direct vehicles to the next available lot. The nearest parking is filled first to minimise the walking distance for the bathers," he added.

Seven main routes connecting Prayagraj

The officer said there are seven main routes connecting Prayagraj to other cities. Keeping this in mind, parking arrangements have been made in all directions to ensure a smooth traffic flow and accommodate the influx of visitors.

Kumar emphasised the significant role of artificial intelligence (AI) cameras, which help in decision making, though he clarified that those are not completely relied upon.

"AI cameras increase our capacity to manage crowd control, which is unprecedented at such a large scale. Our forces are trained institutionally, but having data-based evidence helps further enhance our skills," he said.

The SP explained that there are four ICCC units in the fair area. In case of an emergency, another unit can be used for better coordination and monitoring.

He further mentioned that cameras have been installed at all critical and sensitive locations within the fair area, including at ghats, major roads and bridges.

"These cameras provide us with real-time information on crowd movement and help assess the crowd density at key locations like the Sangam. The cameras help us understand how people gather during such events and we can monitor areas with higher crowd densities, such as at the ghats, while other areas remain less crowded," he said.