Digi Yatra: Now, Your Face Can be a Boarding Pass at These Airports. All About New Service Explained

Civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Thursday launched DigiYatra that allows entry of air passengers based on a facial recognition system at the airport in the national capital.

With DigiYatra, it will be paperless entry for passengers at airports and the passenger data can be automatically processed based on a facial recognition system at various checkpoints, including at security check areas. Apart from Delhi, DigiYatra is being launched at Varanasi and Bangalore airports on Thursday.

News18 explains what Digiyatra is & How It Will Work?

In order to make use of the service, a traveller must first validate their identity with their Aadhaar number using the DigiYatra mobile app and then take a picture of themselves. The next thing that needs to be done is to have the boarding pass scanned, and then the credentials need to be given to the airport.

The passenger must first scan the bar code on their boarding pass at the airport’s e-gate. After doing so, the facial recognition system that is installed at the e-gate will validate the passenger’s identity as well as their travel document. After this procedure has been completed, the e-gate will be open for the passenger to use to enter the airport.

The passenger will be required to proceed according to the standard operating procedure in order to pass through security and board the aircraft.

How to Avail?

The passengers are required to download the app in order to take advantage of the perks that the DigiYatra programme has to offer. The application was presented to the public for the first time on August 15 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Following the installation of the application, the traveller will be required to provide their Aadhar card information as well as their phone number. After that, the traveller is required to take a selfie, add details about their vaccinations, and scan their boarding pass.

Where All Is It Being Launched?

It is presently being launched for domestic flights passengers.

In the first phase, it will be launched at 7 airports. However, it is initially being launched at 3 airports i.e., Delhi, Bengaluru and Varanasi on 1st December 2022 followed by 4 airports namely Hyderabad, Kolkata, Pune, and Vijayawada by March 2023. Later it would be implemented across various airports in the country, the government said, adding that with the service, India is setting a new global benchmark for a seamless, hassle free and health risk free process at airports

How DigiYatra Will Enhance Security

The beta version of DigiYatra app was launched by DIAL on August 15.

Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) operates the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in the national capital. It is also the country’s largest airport.

DigiYatra is based on facial recognition technology and will make the boarding process faster and seamless.

Further, DigiYatra will ensure enhanced security at the airport as the passenger data is validated with airlines departure control system and only designated passengers can enter the terminal.

This will result in shorter wait times in lines, quicker processing times, and simpler procedures, all of which will contribute to an improved experience for passengers. It also makes it possible for passengers to receive pertinent information about the airport’s various facilities, protocols, airline timings, and queue waiting times.

Digi Yatra Foundation, a not-for-profit company, is the nodal body for DigiYatra.

The foundation’s shareholders 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). PTI RAM DRR

‘Contactless, Seamless’

According to the government, Digi Yatra is conceived to achieve contactless, seamless processing of passengers at airports based on Facial Recognition Technology (FRT).

Addressing previously raised concerns on privacy and data storage, the government clarified that there is no central storage of Personally Identifiable Information (PII). Passenger’s ID and travel credentials are stored in a secure wallet in the passenger’s smartphone itself.

With inputs from PTI

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