The Centre’s DigiYatra programme, which is being handled by the GMR-owned Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), on Monday announced the soft launch and release of the app’s beta version for Android devices. At the Delhi airport, the facial recognition-based passenger processing system DigiYatra has been tested, and Terminal 3 has been equipped with the necessary infrastructure.
According to DigiYatra, passengers would go through multiple checkpoints at the airport utilising paperless and contactless processing. Their identity would be verified using facial features and connected to their boarding card.
With this technology, all checkpoints, such as airport entry, security checkpoints, aeroplane boarding, etc., will automatically process passenger entries based on facial recognition technology.
Passengers will need to download the DigiYatra app before using this feature. The app’s iOS version is slated to be published in the upcoming weeks, while the Android version is already available. A selfie with the Aadhaar card and Aadhaar login credentials are required for users to register on the app. After that, the app will need to be updated with vaccination information using CoWIN credentials. The credentials will then be shared with the airport after the person scans their boarding card with a QR code or bar code.
Passengers must scan their boarding cards at the e-gate and look into the facial recognition system camera there in order to enter the airport. The procedure for entering other checkpoints will be same.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation’s Consultative Committee met last month to talk about the DigiYatra initiative. The project is being carried out by the DigiYatra Foundation, a joint venture whose shareholders include Bengaluru Airport, Delhi Airport, Hyderabad Airport, Mumbai Airport, and Cochin International Airport. The Airports Authority of India owns a 26% investment in the company. The remaining 74% of the shares are held equally by these five shareholders.
The passenger ID validation procedure will be looked after by the DigiYatra Foundation. Additionally, it will outline the local airport system’s rules and requirements for compliance. The DigiYatra criteria for the regional airport Biometric Boarding Systems will be followed, and there will be frequent audits of the different compliances and guidelines (including guidelines on security, picture quality, and data protection).
It was suggested during a meeting of the consultative committee that the first phase of DigiYatra be implemented in Varanasi and Bengaluru this month, and in five airports—Pune, Vijayawada, Kolkata, Delhi, and Hyderabad—by March of the next year. The airports where DigiYatra will be gradually deployed will be determined by the Airport Authority of India (AAI).
