Odisha Police to use AI for traffic, crowd management during Rath Yatra

Odisha Police will use AI technology on a pilot basis for effective traffic and crowd management during the Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra, a senior police official said.

The Rath Yatra, also known as the Chariot festival, is believed to be as old as the Jagannath Temple in Puri. This year, Lord Jagannath Yatra will take place on July 7.

"This is the first time, as a pilot project, we are trying to use AI-based CCTV coverage where all those CCTV points which we have around 40 points where we have placed CCTV cameras. We would be using AI amalgamated with the CCTV system. We would also be using a drone system to identify the blind spots, identify the jam areas. We are also using drones along with the PA (Public address) system so that there are 4-5 identified spots every year where we normally face huge traffic jams and to help assist the police officers," Additional DGP, Odisha, Dayal Gangwar, told ANI on Saturday.

Earlier on July 6, Bhubaneswar-based miniature artist, L Eswar Rao, curated eco-friendly chariots of the holy trinity Lord Jagannath, Devi Subhadra and Lord Balabhadra using papers and incense sticks ahead of the world-famous Rath Yatra.

The deities sitting inside the holy chariots have been made out of tamarind seeds, and completed in seven days. The chariots are two inches tall from bottom to top.

Speaking to ANI, the miniature artist L Eswar Rao said, "To mark this year's Rath Yatra, I decided to craft miniature models of chariots of Lord Jagannath, Devi Subhadra and Lord Balabhadra using papers and incense sticks. It took me seven days to complete them with decorative stars. I used tamarind seeds to make the deities."

Rao further stated that the idols of Lord Jagannath, Devi Subhadra and Lord Balabhadra, which are placed on chariots are only half a centimetre long and the holy trinity chariots are two inches tall from top to bottom.

Rao has been practising this miniature art for the last 25 years since he was in school. Whether it is creating the World Cup trophy on a pencil nib or making a tiny sculpture of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel using a soap bar, Rao never misses an opportunity to sculpt fascinating things.