TTD brings AI, facial recognition to Tirumala for smoother pilgrim services

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD): To enhance the pilgrim experience, TTD is introducing facial recognition and artificial intelligence (AI) technology in Tirumala.

TTD, which manages the Tirumala Venkateswara temple, will use AI technology. It will introduce advanced technologies to enhance the pilgrim darshan experience. TTD Executive Officer (EO) J. Shyamala Rao made the announcement on Thursday.

According to the EO, pilgrims will be verified using facial recognition technology and AI-based methods. TTD is taking these steps to prevent fake passes and scams using pilgrims' names.

TTD aims to make the pilgrimage easier for devotees by using the best available technology solutions in the market, especially AI-based systems,” said Shyamala Rao.

By implementing this technology, timely darshan tokens will be issued to devotees. Each devotee's face will be captured and matched with approximately 1 million images collected in the last 30 days to prevent fake bookings.

Through this system, the token issuance and verification process will be faster and smoother. This will completely check fake tickets and booking scams.

Facial recognition technology will also be used to monitor the number of devotees in queue lines, compartments, and inside the temple. AI-powered cameras will identify the movement of devotees in real-time and help estimate darshan timings.

“Through this system, devotees can get appropriate information when they join the queue line. They can plan their trip in advance,” said the EO.

Similarly, unnecessary gaps or operational errors in darshan routes can be identified and corrected through AI cameras. In the future, facial recognition technology will be crucial in identifying intruders in Tirumala. Overall, this technology will be extended to all departments with the aim of increasing transparency, efficiency, and security in the service of Srivari devotees.