Digital Wari 2025: Pune city witnessed a spiritual wave as over 4.90 lakh Warkaris arrived in the city during the annual Palkhi Festival of Sant Tukaram Maharaj and Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj. This year, for the first time, Pune Police utilized Artificial Intelligence (AI) for efficient crowd management and analysis. As both Palkhis entered the city, the Pune Police deployed AI-powered surveillance systems, including CCTV cameras equipped with special software at key junctions, procession routes, and parking areas. These systems tracked the movement of the processions and crowd patterns in real time.
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Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar said, “Given the massive influx of devotees, traditional systems were inadequate. By using AI, we effectively planned, implemented, and monitored the event across all phases.” He praised the coordination between various departments, which ensured a peaceful and well-managed procession.
June 20: Sant Tukaram Maharaj Palkhi entered Pune – 1.95 lakh Warkaris, 600 vehicles
June 20: Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj Palkhi entered Pune – 2.95 lakh Warkaris, 2,000 vehicles
June 20–21: 1.5 lakh Warkaris continued onward journey
June 22: Both Palkhis departed Pune – 2.8 lakh Warkaris, 1,800 vehicles
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The AI-based system provided real-time insights that allowed police to implement proactive traffic diversions, improve emergency response, and coordinate deployment of security personnel. Based on AI analytics, heavy traffic points and high-density crowd zones were handled with precision. The successful and incident-free execution of the event has been widely appreciated. The disciplined behavior of devotees and the modern tech-driven arrangements made this year’s Palkhi procession a model of spiritual devotion backed by smart governance.
