CM Naidu, VP Unveil New Pilgrim Facilities, AI Command Centre

DEVOTION PAID WITH INNOVATION

₹ 102 Cr Venkatadri Nilayam (PAC-5) inaugurated with:

■ 16 dormitories

■ 2,400 lockers

■ 2 dining halls (1,400-seat capacity)

■ Free accommodation for 4,000 pilgrims

India’s 1st AI-powered Integrated Command & Control Centre (ICCC) launched at Vaikuntham

■ 6,000+ AI cameras monitor crowd flow and safety in real time

■ Handles 518 million events/day, generates 2.5 billion inferences

■ Facial recognition for missing persons

■ Crowd prediction & queue optimization

■ Real-time dashboards & distress alerts

■ Protection against cyber threats & misinformation

Metro India News | AMARAVATI

Tirumala, the world’s most visited spiritual site, witnessed a major infrastructure and technology leap on Thursday as Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu inaugurated a series of pilgrim-centric initiatives.

The key highlight was Venkatadri Nilayam (PAC-5), a state-of-the-art Pilgrims Amenities Centre built at a cost of ₹102 crore. The complex features 16 dormitories, 2,400 lockers, and two dining halls with 1,400 total seats. It can accommodate 4,000 pilgrims, offering free services to those arriving without bookings. A mini Kalyana Katta inside the facility allows tonsuring for 80 devotees simultaneously.

CM Naidu issued the first accommodation token to a woman devotee and, along with the Vice-President, inspected the new amenities. Also unveiled was AI-based machinery at Tirumala Potu (temple kitchen) to boost the production of laddu prasadam, ensuring quality and consistency amid growing demand.

The marquee development was the launch of India’s first AI-powered Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) at Vaikuntham Queue Complex–I. Equipped with over 6,000 AI-enabled cameras, it processes 360,000 data points per minute and generates 2.5 billion inferences daily, enabling real-time crowd management, facial recognition, distress alerts, queue mapping, and protection against cyber threats.

Developed with Silicon Valley firm Kloudspot Inc. and powered by NVIDIA computing, the ICCC aims to reduce wait times and increase darshan capacity from 4,500 to 5,500 per hour. CM Naidu also ordered strict checks at Alipiri to stop prohibited items, especially liquor, from entering Tirumala.

He emphasized cleanliness, green cover expansion to 90%, and sanitation monitoring via the ICCC. The Vice-President lauded the blend of faith and innovation, while Naidu called it “technology at the feet of the Lord”. Dignitaries including ministers Nara Lokesh and Anam Ram Narayana Reddy, TTD Board Chairman B.R. Naidu, and EO Anil Kumar Singhal were present.