Digi Yatra to expand to 25 more airports by 2024: Jyotiraditya Scindia

Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Friday said that the DigiYatra facility, facilitating contactless and seamless passenger movement through Facial Recognition Technology (FRT), will be extended to 25 additional airports by 2024.

Currently operational at 13 airports catering to domestic passengers, DigiYatra aims to enhance the travel experience by minimising physical contact and streamlining checkpoints at airports. Scindia announced the phased expansion, with 14 airports set to introduce the facility in the first phase, followed by another 11 in the second phase next year.

By the end of 2024, DigiYatra is poised to be available at a total of 38 airports across the country, covering approximately 95 per cent of the country’s air passenger traffic. The current 13 airports handle about 85 per cent of domestic air passenger traffic.

Passenger data shared for DigiYatra is securely stored in an encrypted format. To avail the service, passengers are required to register details on the DigiYatra app, utilising Aadhaar-based validation and a self-image capture. Subsequently, the boarding pass is scanned, and the provided credentials are shared with the respective airport.

At the airport's e-gate, passengers must scan the bar-coded boarding pass, where the facial recognition system validates their identity and travel documents. Once this process is completed, passengers can seamlessly enter the airport through the e-gate. Following entry, passengers proceed with standard security procedures before boarding their flights.

The DigiYatra Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation, serves as the nodal body for DigiYatra, with shareholders including 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).

This expansion aligns with the ongoing efforts to leverage technology for enhanced efficiency and convenience in the aviation sector.