Govt to include international travellers in Digi Yatra scheme: Scindia

To enhance passenger experience and streamline airport operations, the government is planning to extend the Digi Yatra facility to international travellers, Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said.

The Digi Yatra initiative, which currently serves domestic passengers at 13 major airports across the country, is set to undergo expansion to include international travellers. Scindia stressed on the importance of coordination with various ministries, including External Affairs and Home Affairs, to facilitate the integration of services such as e-passports and e-visas into the Digi Yatra platform for international passengers.

Acknowledging the complexities involved, Scindia highlighted ongoing efforts to navigate these challenges, stating, "...all of that has to be built on this platform...Therefore, we are working on that as we speak."

Furthermore, the government aims to introduce the Digi Yatra facility at an additional 25 airports by the conclusion of the fiscal year 2025, with plans to expand coverage both horizontally and vertically. Scindia reiterated the commitment to extending the facility to a broader network of airports based on the success observed at the initial 13 airports, which collectively cater to a significant portion of domestic air travellers.

Currently, the Digi Yatra initiative leverages Facial Recognition Technology (FRT) to facilitate contactless and seamless passenger processing at airports. Responding to concerns regarding data privacy, Minister of State for Civil Aviation, General VK Singh (Retd), affirmed that the Digi Yatra Central Ecosystem (DYCE) prioritises privacy through design and default, with no centralised storage of passengers' Personally Identifiable Information (PII) data.

The Digi Yatra app had garnered over 3.5 million downloads in 2023, with the facility operational in prominent airports including Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Hyderabad, among others.

The proposed extension of the Digi Yatra facility to international passengers underscores the government's commitment to modernizing airport infrastructure and enhancing the overall travel experience, aligning with the broader digitalisation initiatives in the aviation sector.