The Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Kumbh Mela Authority has initiated plans for a digital volunteer management system to register, train, deploy and monitor manpower during the upcoming Simhastha Kumbh Mela, bringing staffing, attendance, logistics and emergency alerts onto a single platform.
The authority has floated a request for proposal to appoint an agency for the design, development, operation and maintenance of the system. The platform will be available through a web portal and mobile application and will be integrated with the authority’s website and app.
According to the plan reported by the Times of India, the system will cover self-registered volunteers, permanent and temporary authority staff, manpower supplied by agencies, and personnel from government bodies including Home Guards, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation and disaster-management agencies. NGO volunteers, coordinators and staff deployed at the Integrated Command and Control Centre will also be included.
Each registered person will receive a digital profile containing information such as skills, preferred roles, availability, language proficiency, medical fitness, work experience and certifications. An official said registration would involve OTP verification, document scrutiny and approval processes.
The platform will support digital rostering and deployment across ghats, camps, control rooms, parking facilities and transport hubs. Assignments will be based on manpower requirements, skills, availability and certifications. The system is also designed to identify scheduling conflicts and allow personnel to acknowledge assignments, request shift swaps or apply for leave.
Attendance will be recorded through multiple methods, including the mobile application, QR-code scanning, biometric devices and manual entries by supervisors. The system will compare attendance with duty allocations and flag no-shows, late arrivals, early departures and overtime.
The proposed platform will also track operational logistics. Vehicle information, boarding points and seat allocations can be linked to deployment schedules, while accommodation, meals and medical-support arrangements can be monitored digitally. These functions are intended to connect staffing decisions with the movement and welfare requirements of personnel deployed across the Kumbh’s operational areas.
Officials will have access to a geographic information system-based dashboard showing deployment locations, manpower availability, live attendance, incidents, transport routes and accommodation facilities. During emergencies, alerts can be targeted to personnel according to their role, location, zone or shift.
The system’s scope reflects the administrative complexity of managing a large religious gathering across multiple sites and agencies. Instead of maintaining separate records for volunteers, government departments, transport personnel, control-room staff and contracted manpower, the proposed platform is intended to provide a common operational view to the authority.
The selected agency will operate and maintain the system for 24 months. The tender conditions prescribe penalties for service disruptions and data breaches, including fines of up to Rs 25 lakh for a proven mass data breach. The authority’s next step is to appoint the agency responsible for developing and operating the platform.
