Technology Facilitates Crowd Management at Nellore's Rottela Panduga

Nellore:  Technology played a key role in managing crowds at this year's five-day Rottela Panduga, with SPSR Nellore police introducing QR code-based navigation, RFID tags for children, and night-vision drone surveillance. This facilitated the smooth conclusion of one of Andhra Pradesh's largest annual religious gatherings on Monday. Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, superintendent of police Dr Ajitha Vejendla said four night-vision drones had been deployed for the first time to monitor the movement of devotees heading towards the historic Bara Shaheed Dargah and Swarnala Cheruvu, where the tradition of exchanging rotis continues late into the night. In all, 30 drones had been deployed for surveillance. The SP thanked municipal administration minister P. Narayana for facilitating the procurement of the night-vision cameras through the Nellore Municipal Corporation. He said these would remain a permanent asset of the district police. In another first, police installed large QR code boards at 20 strategic locations across the city. Conceived by Dr Ajitha and Nellore Town ASP Deeksha, the initiative enabled pilgrims and drivers of tourist buses and private vehicles to scan the codes to access navigation maps showing routes to the dargah, real-time crowd information, and designated parking areas. Police erected display boards at major entry points with details of the 21 designated parking zones, equipped with lighting and toilet facilities. Around 120 police personnel, including 10 sub-inspectors and two circle inspectors managed the parking locations, regulated traffic, and assisted visitors. Traffic circle inspectors K. Ramakrishna and K. Venkat Reddy estimated that around 50,000 cars and tourist buses entered Nellore during the five-day event.

To streamline vehicle movement, ASP Deeksha, in coordination with Revenue Divisional Officer S. Naga Santosh Anusha, issued vehicle passes earmarking specific parking areas for incoming vehicles. Despite temporary congestion at a few junctions and railway level crossings, police managed traffic volumes several times higher than normal, ensuring that devotees reached the dargah with minimal inconvenience.

The Nellore SP disclosed that police reunited 115 children who had gone missing in the crowds with their parents during the festival. In addition, 450 children had been provided RFID tags to help police quickly trace them if they became separated from their families. The use of QR code navigation, drone surveillance, and RFID technology marked a significant step towards technology-driven crowd management at the annual Rottela Panduga.