The convenience of Digi Yatra is currently accessible to domestic travelers at 14 airports, with discussions underway to extend it to international travelers in collaboration with key stakeholders.
By the end of this month, Digi Yatra is poised to launch at 14 additional airports, with plans to enhance its functionality through targeted architectural enhancements. This innovative system, boasting around 5 million users, relies on facial recognition technology (FRT) to facilitate contactless and efficient passage through multiple airport checkpoints.
As per reports, Digi Yatra is presently operational at select domestic airports, and efforts are ongoing to broaden its reach to international travelers through strategic partnerships.
CEO of the Digi Yatra Foundation, Suresh Khadakbhavi who spoke with PTI revealed that by April’s end, 14 more airports will be integrated into the Digi Yatra network. Established in December 2022, the Digi Yatra Foundation oversees the implementation and growth of this digital travel solution.
The upcoming airports to join the Digi Yatra initiative include Bagdogra, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Coimbatore, Dabolim, Indore, Mangalore, Patna, Raipur, Ranchi, Srinagar, Trivandrum, and Vishakhapatnam.
While Digi Yatra gains traction, concerns about passenger data privacy have surfaced in various quarters.
In response, Khadakbhavi reassured the public that Digi Yatra does not store passenger information centrally.
“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 clarified in an interview with PTI.
To utilize Digi Yatra, passengers must register on the app using self-image capture and Aadhaar-based verification. Subsequently, they scan their boarding pass, sharing necessary credentials with airport authorities.
At the airport, passengers validate their identity and travel documents through facial recognition at e-gates, granting them access to the terminal. Standard security procedures must be followed for boarding.
Enrollment of travelers into Digi Yatra requires explicit consent, ensuring compliance with privacy norms.
Efforts are underway to enhance user experience and refine the system’s architecture for potential enhancements, with ongoing discussions with government bodies and stakeholders for international integration.
The Digi Yatra Foundation’s shareholders include Hyderabad International Airport Ltd (HIAL), Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL), Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL), Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL), and Airport Authority of India (AAI).
India’s domestic air travel sector is burgeoning, positioning the country as one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets, with over 152 million domestic air travelers recorded in 2023.