Mumbai: The Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations have begun, and on Wednesday, a huge crowd was witnessed at the Lalbaugcha Raja mandal. Thousands of devotees gathered for the darshan of Bappa, seeking his blessings with great devotion.
The 10-day festival of Ganeshotsav is celebrated widely and with great enthusiasm across Maharashtra. Lalbaugcha Raja is one of the most famous and most visited mandals in Mumbai, attracting lakhs of devotees every year.
Devotees shared their heartfelt emotions as they stood in queues for hours. One devotee said, "It feels like we have come to heaven, and this experience cannot be expressed in words," as reported by news agency IANS.
Mumbai’s Lalbaugcha Raja Deploys AI Surveillance for Crowd Safety; Mandal Denies 24-Hour Free Meals, Warns Against VIP Pass Scams.
Lalbaugcha Raja, the most famous Ganpati idol in Mumbai, is not just a symbol of devotion in Maharashtra, but also a spiritual attraction for devotees from across India and abroad. Every year, millions visit to seek blessings, and this year, the footfall is expected to cross 1 crore devotees, making crowd management and security a massive challenge.
To ensure smooth and safe darshan, the Lalbaugcha Raja Ganesh Mandal, in coordination with Mumbai Police, has installed 260 high-tech CCTV cameras integrated with Artificial Intelligence (AI) software. Unlike traditional surveillance systems, these AI-powered cameras provide real-time analysis, detecting crowd surges, suspicious movements, and potential threats, instantly alerting the control room for immediate action.
In previous years, sudden crowd build-ups often went unnoticed until chaos erupted. With the AI-enabled system, security teams will now receive instant alerts when any area becomes overcrowded. This allows them to deploy additional personnel and prevent stampede-like situations quickly.
The AI cameras will also monitor unusual activities such as sudden disruptions in queues, medical emergencies, or thefts. They will instantly alert security personnel with precise location details, allowing for quick response and action.
