Moradabad Deploys Drones for Festival Crowd Surveillance Under 'Jatayu Project'

Ajit Kumar Singh, Additional Municipal Commissioner of Moradabad, said, "Through the 'Jatayu Project', we are able to monitor our entire city using CCTV and drone cameras. If any activity occurs anywhere, be it an incident or an event. All activities are captured. Furthermore, beyond just social activities, we can also utilise this system to monitor the various services provided by the Municipal Corporation."

Singh added that while one or two drones were operating at specific festival locations, additional drones are actively deployed across other parts of the city to ensure comprehensive monitoring.

"Currently, we have one or two drones operating here at this specific location; however, there are additional drones deployed and active across other parts of the city as well," the Addl. Municipal Commissioner told ANI.

Meanwhile, devotees across India flocked to temples to offer prayers on the occasion of Maha Ashtami during Chaitra Navratri, seeking blessings for prosperity, health, and happiness.

In Gujarat, aarti was performed at the ISKCON Temple in Ahmedabad, drawing large gatherings of devotees. Similarly, Ambika Niketan Temple in Surat saw a significant turnout of devotees offering prayers on the holy day.

Vadodara's Bahucharaji Temple also witnessed devotees paying homage on Durga Ashtami.

In Uttar Pradesh, devotees thronged the Alopi Shankari Devi Shakti Peeth Mandir in Prayagraj to mark Maha Ashtami. Ayodhya's Maha Devi Kali Temple also saw devotees arriving to participate in the sacred rituals

In Uttarakhand, the Maya Devi Temple in Haridwar hosted large numbers of devotees who offered prayers and participated in rituals.

Meanwhile, in Maharashtra, Shree Ram Mandir in Wadala, Mumbai, observed special aarti ceremonies, drawing devotees from across the city.

On the eighth day of Navratri, also known as Maha Ashtami, devotees worship Goddess Mahagauri, who is the eighth of the nine forms of the goddess Durga.

Mahagauri is a symbol of purity, tranquillity, and serenity. Her worship is believed to cleanse one's soul of past sins and grant peace and wisdom.

On this occasion, Kanya Puja is also performed, where young, unmarried girls are honoured as manifestations of the goddess. They are offered special food and gifts, and this ritual is traditionally performed at the intersection of Ashtami and Navami.

- ANI