The application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is expanding into new realms, with its integration into temple management marking a significant step. The Tirumala temple in Andhra Pradesh, a major pilgrimage site, has pioneered the implementation of an AI-powered Integrated Command Control Center (ICCC). This initiative aims to streamline crowd control and improve the overall experience for devotees.
The Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple, located in Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh, is a highly venerated Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Venkateswara, an avatar of Vishnu. It attracts a large number of pilgrims annually, making it one of India’s most visited religious sites. The temple’s popularity necessitates efficient management, particularly during peak times when massive crowds gather.
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD), the governing body of the temple, has introduced the ICCC in Tirumala. The center was inaugurated by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, representing a move toward technologically advanced pilgrim management.
The ICCC promises to revolutionize the experience of millions of devotees, providing real-time crowd predictions, queue management, improved security, and cyber threat monitoring.
Strategically located in the Vaikuntham Queue Complex-I, the ICCC utilizes cutting-edge technology, including advanced cameras, 3D situational mapping, and a dedicated technical team for constant monitoring. This setup is designed to set a national standard for tech-driven pilgrimage management, providing smooth services for devotees and effective coordination for temple administrators.
The control room is equipped with over 6,000 AI-powered cameras, high-performance computing systems, and real-time dashboards capable of handling vast amounts of data. The system can monitor over 518 million daily events and generate over 2.5 billion predictive insights per day. With a processing capacity of 3.6 lakh payloads per minute, the system is designed to quickly respond to any emerging situation.
The ICCC will help in predicting wait times for ‘Sarva Darshanam’ and visualizing crowd density in 3D, thus ensuring safety at the busy pilgrimage site. The system also focuses on cybersecurity, protecting the temple’s systems and digital assets against misinformation, offensive content, and online threats.
Key features of the system include drone-assisted emergency response, tablet-based employee verification, and facial recognition for identifying missing persons. The integration of these advanced features underscores the commitment to enhance safety and provide a seamless experience.
The ICCC’s operations are overseen by more than two dozen trained professionals who monitor the integrated dashboards and coordinate with various departments around the clock. This facilitates swift decision-making and real-time action on the ground.
Beyond crowd and queue management, the system is designed to safeguard the TTD’s reputation and ensure the smooth operation of the temple. Its cyber monitoring capabilities, including protection from misinformation campaigns and digital asset attacks, represent the integration of a digital approach in modern pilgrimage management.
The ICCC is expected to set a new standard for temple administration across India. The success of the Tirumala ICCC is expected to serve as a model for other temples and religious gatherings across the country. The aim is to make large crowd management, ensuring security, and dealing with digital threats, easier.
This initiative, combining AI, machine learning, digital twins, and cloud-backed resilience, is viewed as a major advancement for India’s spiritual tourism infrastructure, ensuring improved security, transparency, and efficiency.
The concept for the ICCC originated with Andhra Pradesh’s Information Technology Minister Nara Lokesh during a visit to Silicon Valley in October 2024. He engaged with startups specializing in smart cities, digital twins, AI, and cybersecurity, which inspired him to develop this project.
Based on these global best practices, Lokesh collaborated with Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) to introduce scalable, secure, and service-oriented technologies to Tirumala, developing it based on a public-private partnership (PPP) model.