Edit this postKumbh Mela attendees are counted using a variety of methods to estimate the number of pilgrims:
Manual Headcounts: Officials conduct headcounts at entry and exit points of the Mela area to get a direct count of the number of people entering and leaving.
CCTV and Drone Surveillance: CCTV cameras monitor crowd density in real time, providing visual data on how crowded the areas are. Drones offer aerial views, particularly useful during peak events like holy bathing days, to estimate crowd sizes more accurately.
Mobile Phone Data Analysis: The number of active mobile devices in the area is used to estimate crowd sizes. This method helps in tracking the movement and concentration of people within the Mela grounds.
Counting Long-term Pilgrims: Pilgrims known as Kalpwasis, who stay for the duration of the festival, are counted daily, which might lead to some duplication in numbers since they are counted multiple times.
Infrastructure Use: The amount of infrastructure like tents, toilets, and parking spaces utilized can also give an indirect measure of the crowd size, although this is more for logistical planning than precise counting.
These methods combined provide an estimate, but there's an acknowledgment that there might be some duplication in counting, particularly with daily counts of long-term attendees. The sheer scale of the event, with millions spread over a large area, means that these counts are approximations rather than exact figures.
