The Kerala High Court has instructed the Travancore Devaswom Board to prioritize devotee safety and deploy a new Rs 17.67 crore artificial intelligence-based crowd management system before the upcoming pilgrimage season begins on November 15.
A division bench of Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and K V Jayakumar issued the order after evaluating the board’s preparations for the annual Mandalakala-Makaravilakku festival. The court stressed that measures regarding crowd control, sanitation, safety, and pilgrim welfare must receive the highest priority.
Implementation of AI Platform
To modernize its security operations, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has approved a comprehensive plan to transition from reactive crowd control to a predictive, technology-driven system. Based on a project report drafted by top police officials, this platform will utilize AI video analytics, drone surveillance, crowd density mapping, and smart parking. It will also employ automatic license plate recognition to track vehicles and use geographic information system mapping to monitor pilgrim movement.
The first phase of the roll-out is estimated to cost Rs 17.67 crore, which covers the setup of control hubs at Pamba and Sannidhanam, staffing, and a three-year maintenance contract. The board has approved this phase in principle for immediate implementation this season.
Operational Coordination and Waste Management
Once active, real-time data collected from key transit points along the pilgrimage route—including Nilakkal, Marakottam, Valiyanadapandal, and the trek route—will feed into a major inter-departmental control room at Pamba. Officials will use this continuous stream of information to regulate the movement of devotees toward the shrine.
In addition to digital security, the TDB has adopted the disaster mitigation and preparedness manual formulated by the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority. To address sanitation, the board is partnering with the Suchitwa Mission and Clean Kerala Company to establish modern waste management protocols to clear garbage, scrap materials, and electronic waste from the temple area.
The court’s instructions were delivered during a suo motu case it registered to ensure advance, coordinated planning among all stakeholders. Welcoming the board’s proposed technological initiatives, the bench ordered that all systems be fully operational before the pilgrimage commences.
