The city of Varanasi has announced a global call for innovators to develop cutting-edge crowd management solutions as part of the $9 million Sustainable Cities Challenge, initiated by the Toyota Mobility Foundation. Varanasi, one of only three cities chosen to host this challenge, offers selected innovators access to a share of $3 million in funding. This initiative aims to enhance the safety and accessibility of Varanasi’s historic old city of Kashi for the millions of pilgrims, tourists, and residents who visit each year.
The ancient city of Kashi, located within Varanasi, is renowned as India's spiritual capital and attracts millions of visitors annually. This influx, combined with the city’s narrow, winding streets, poses significant challenges related to safety and overcrowding. Previous reports indicate that Varanasi welcomed around 70 million visitors, highlighting the urgent need for improved crowd management solutions.
Akshat Verma IAS, Municipal Commissioner of the Varanasi Municipal Corporation, stated “We are excited to be involved in the Sustainable Cities Challenge. Millions visit Varanasi annually for religious and touristic activities. Our leadership is committed to making Kashi safer and more accessible for all. We look forward to working with global innovators to identify technologies and solutions that will benefit citizens, pilgrims, and tourists of Varanasi.”
The challenge, supported by Challenge Works and the World Resources Institute, invites applications from companies offering solutions by 5 September 2024. Participants will gain exclusive insights into the workings of this historic city, providing a real-world understanding of user-centred design.
Pras Ganesh, Executive Program Director at the Toyota Mobility Foundation, added “We look forward to working with Varanasi on their City Challenge and seeing how global innovators can deliver mobility solutions in this historic city. Our project aims to develop innovative, human-centric crowd management solutions applicable to other cities facing similar issues.”
Varanasi joins Detroit, USA, and Venice, Italy, as host cities for this challenge, selected from over 150 cities in 46 countries. Up to ten semi-finalists will be selected in November 2024, each receiving a $50,000 grant to engage with city leaders and demonstrate their solutions. In May 2025, up to five finalists will receive $130,000 each to test their solutions further. Finally, in March 2026, three winners will share $1.5 million to scale their solutions in Varanasi.
Applications for the Varanasi Challenge are open until 5 September 2024. Innovators worldwide are encouraged to participate and contribute to transforming Varanasi into a safer, more accessible city for all.
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