This is done by storing all the relevant information of a passenger on an online database so that it can be easily accessed via facial recognition and other biometrics.
Digi Yatra is an initiative that has been taken up by The Ministry of Civil Aviation, which provides for a boarding system based entirely on biometric systems with the aid of facial technology. As recently as now, plans are being made for implementation of the services at the airports of Pune, Calcutta, Vijayawada, and as well as Hyderabad by March of 2023, as mentioned in a statement on Thursday.
Currently, this Digi Yatra facility is in active use in the airports of Bengaluru, Delhi and Varanasi. Essentially, these airports actively provide for contactless, paperless boarding processes and check-ins based on facial biometrics. This system was officially launched in these airports on the 1st of December, 2022.
The ministry mentions that the Digi Yatra service has the main target of providing a hustle free and seamless experience for its uses and passages at airports. The target it tries to achieve is to enhance the passenger experience by eliminating the requirement of verification for ticket and ID at various checkpoints, replacing them with touch points which shall strive to provide with a better output via the pre-existing infrastructure with just the addition of a digital framework.
This project is still in its implementation stages across various airports within this country in a phase-like manner, where phase 1 comprises of the airports of Varanasi, Delhi and Bengaluru. It was also further mentioned that the monetary funds for the implementation of Digi yatra at any particular airport will be provided for by the airport operators and not the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
Currently, an app is available for IOS and Android and can be obtained via the AppStore for iPhones and the Play Store for Android phones. This app provides for contactless identification, which is extremely helpful in cutting down the extra time that is typically spent on checkpoints, entry gates and security checks.
Passengers can create a Digi Yatra ID by providing information such as their name, email address, mobile number, and identification proof such as voter ID, Aadhaar, driving licence etc).
