Pune, 9th September 2025: This year's Ganesh Visarjan in Pune saw enhanced security measures as the city police employed AI-enabled CCTV systems and real-time analytics to oversee large crowds and detect potential threats.
This tech-driven approach successfully prevented incidents, earning praise from both citizens and officials. Thousands gathered along the immersion routes on Saturday, with key procession areas monitored by AI-powered facial recognition tools, drones, and CCTV cameras connected to the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) in Shivajinagar.
A separate room at Faraskhana police station coordinated responses with ground units. Assistant Commissioner of Police (IT) Vivek Pawar stated that the system used dual-level accuracy checks for real-time facial scanning. 'At the higher accuracy level of 85 percent, about 250 individuals were flagged and verified by the Crime Branch,' he noted.
Over 2,000 additional alerts were generated under the 80 percent threshold, which are still being reviewed. Besides identifying individuals with prior criminal records, the AI network also detected 50 suspicious or unattended bags and issued 250 alerts regarding women in vulnerable or isolated situations.
Crowd estimation algorithms generated nearly 800,000 identification signals on Visarjan day alone, aiding the police in managing high-density areas more effectively. Citizens' Safety First Police officials emphasized that efforts were focused on congested areas where troublemakers typically try to cause disruptions. The system would soon be expanded to other parts of the city, concentrating on crime-prone zones.
Integrated Command Approach
The real-time feeds were compared against a centralized criminal database maintained by the IT department. Officials confirmed that the data collected during the festival is now being analyzed for a detailed report on how AI surveillance can be permanently integrated into city policing.
Senior Crime Branch officers highlighted the importance of collaboration between on-ground units and the IT wing. 'This was one of the smoothest Visarjan operations in recent memory. Technology gave us the upper hand in both crowd management and crime prevention,' one official said.
A Method for Urban Policing
Pune Police plan to gradually expand the use of AI-backed surveillance citywide. 'The larger vision is to reduce crime hotspots through predictive policing,' ACP Pawar remarked. 'When residents see that the police are equipped to act swiftly, it strengthens public trust.' The initiative has been praised as a benchmark in smart policing—one that combines tradition with technology to ensure the safety of large cultural events for everyone.