Varanasi is set to expand a series of artificial intelligence-powered mobility and crowd management solutions across its historic Kashi district, as city authorities move to improve pedestrian movement, accessibility and visitor experience in one of India's busiest heritage destinations. The initiative is aimed at addressing the challenges of managing millions of pilgrims, tourists and residents who navigate the city's dense network of narrow lanes and public spaces each year.
The solutions are being implemented under the Sustainable Cities Challenge, an initiative led by Varanasi Nagar Nigam in collaboration with the Toyota Mobility Foundation, Challenge Works and WRI India. Following a two-year innovation programme involving global technology companies, urban planners and mobility experts, two solutions have been selected for citywide scaling, while two additional projects have received honourable mentions for their contributions to improving accessibility and pedestrian mobility.
Among the selected technologies is CityFlow, developed by CITYDATA.AI in partnership with Nippon Koei. The platform combines big data, computer vision and generative AI to monitor crowd movement in real time, allowing city authorities to identify congestion hotspots, anticipate bottlenecks and respond more effectively during periods of heavy footfall. By creating a digital representation of pedestrian movement across the historic district, the system aims to support data-driven decision making for traffic and crowd management.
The second winning solution, Janjatra, developed by The Urbanizer, focuses on improving navigation through colour-coded wayfinding, dynamic digital signage and tactical urban design interventions. The system is intended to simplify movement for residents and visitors, including those who may not rely on smartphone navigation, while helping distribute pedestrian traffic more evenly across the city's heritage precincts.
Two additional projects were recognised for their potential to strengthen urban mobility. BehtarWay, developed by VOGIC AI, offers an AI-powered hyperlocal pedestrian navigation platform designed specifically for the complex street network of Kashi. It provides alternate walking routes based on real-time crowd conditions and local information. NayiChaal, created by Prameya Consulting, combines physical and digital tools, including multilingual communication channels and accessible navigation features, to improve mobility for elderly citizens, women and persons with disabilities.
According to Varanasi officials, managing movement through one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities requires solutions that balance heritage preservation with modern urban management. The selected technologies combine artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure and human-centred design to improve safety, accessibility and operational efficiency without altering the cultural identity of Kashi.
The initiative reflects a broader trend of Indian cities adopting AI-powered technologies to solve urban challenges. Rather than focusing solely on vehicle traffic, the Varanasi programme places emphasis on pedestrian movement, recognising that millions of visitors travel through the city's historic core on foot, particularly during religious festivals and major public events. AI-generated insights are expected to help authorities deploy resources more efficiently, improve emergency response and reduce congestion across key pilgrimage routes.
With implementation now moving into the next phase, the selected technologies are expected to provide a blueprint for how AI can support mobility in heritage cities with complex urban layouts. If successful, the solutions could offer a scalable model for other densely populated cultural and tourism destinations seeking to improve visitor experience while preserving their historic character.