Digi Yatra, a system utilizing Facial Recognition Technology (FRT) for contactless and seamless passenger movement at airports, is set to expand its reach to 14 additional airports by the end of this month. Efforts are underway to enhance user experience through architectural adjustments, as stated by a senior executive. Presently, the service caters to nearly 5 million users across 14 domestic airports.
Speaking to the media, Suresh Khadakbhavi, CEO of Digi Yatra Foundation, said that discussions are ongoing with relevant stakeholders to extend Digi Yatra services to international travellers as well. He also anticipated the implementation of Digi Yatra at 14 more airports by the end of April. Established as a not-for-profit organization, the foundation serves as the governing body for Digi Yatra, which was introduced in December 2022.
Digi Yatra to be rolled at THESE airports:
- Bagdogra Airport
- Bhubaneswar Airport
- Chandigarh Airport
- Chennai Airport
- Coimbatore Airport
- Dabolim Airport
- Indore Airport
- Mangalore Airport
- Patna Airport
- Raipur Airport
- Ranchi Airport
- Srinagar Airport
- Trivandrum Airport
- Vishakhapatnam Airport
Concerns regarding passengers' data
While Digi Yatra is slowly gaining traction, there have been concerns expressed in various quarters about the privacy of the data of the passengers. Seeking to assuage the concerns, Khadakbhavi said Digi Yatra does not have any passengers' data. "It is only in the phone (of the user) that the data is residing and it is in the control of the passenger himself or herself," he told news agency PTI. The data shared by a passenger for Digi Yatra is stored in an encrypted format.
What is Digi Yatra and how it works?
To avail the service, a passenger has to register his or her details on the Digi Yatra app using Aadhaar-based validation and a self-image capture. In the next step, the boarding pass has to be scanned and the credentials are shared with the airport. At the airport e-gate, the passenger has to first scan the bar-coded boarding pass and the facial recognition system installed at the e-gate will validate the passenger's identity and travel document. Once this process is done, the passenger can enter the airport through the e-gate. The passenger will have to follow the normal procedure to clear the security and board the aircraft. Personnel at the airports have been directed to enrol passengers only with their informed consent.
The shareholders of the foundation are Airport Authority of India (AAI), Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL), Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL), Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), Hyderabad International Airport Ltd (HIAL) and Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL). India is one of the fastest-growing civil aviation markets in the world and domestic air traffic is on the rise. In 2023, there were more than 15.2 crore domestic air passengers.
(With inputs from PTI)
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