This means that a facial scan will confirm the identity of DY registered passengers, so they will not need to show any physical ID. Their travel details will also be captured in this technology.
The FRT was launched for three airports by Union Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia at IGIA in Delhi on Thursday.
In the first phase, 7 airports will be DY-enabled starting with Delhi, Bangalore and Varanasi on Thursday. So by March 2023, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Pune and Vijayawada airports will get this facility.
Later other airports will get the same, the aviation ministry said in a statement.
“The project has travelers pass through various checkpoints at airports through paperless and contactless processing using facial features to establish their identity which could be linked to their boarding pass. To use this feature, one-time registration on the DY app using Aadhar-based validation and a self-image capture is required. The project has huge benefits in improving passenger comfort and ease of travel,” said Scindia.
Easing data security concerns for people registering on the app, the minister said, “There is no central repository of ‘Personally Identifiable Information’ (PII) with privacy (issues) in mind. Passenger ID and travel credentials are stored in a secure wallet on the passenger’s smartphone. The uploaded data will use blockchain technology and all data will be deleted from the servers within 24 hours of being used.
The DY project was conceived by the Digi Yatra Foundation under the Union Aviation Ministry.
With the revival of domestic air traffic after Omicron, long lines have returned to airports from terminal entrance to check-in, security and immigration.
While using DY is optional since passengers can continue to show physical IDs and tickets, those using it can hope to clear some queues faster, especially terminal entry.
Delhi airport has even marked some lanes for DY registered domestic passengers.
The DY roll out will allow airports in India to join the ranks of world-class airports such as London Heathrow and Atlanta that use biometric identification.
Citing the example of Dubai International Airport, Scindia said passengers using this technology can save 40 percent of the time they spend at the airport.
“Similar technology saved nine minutes for each aircraft at the Atlanta airport. Compared to other airports (which have biometric technology), India’s system has been made much smoother from entry to exit and hence will be one of the most efficient systems in the whole world,” he added.
How DigiYatra works
Signup Process:
* Download DigiYatra App from Digi Yatra Foundation from Play Store (Android) or App Store (iOS) and register using your mobile number and OTP connected to Aadhaar
* Link your identity credentials using DigiLocker or Aadhaar offline. XML file to upload for offline Aadhaar
* Snap a clear unobstructed selfie when prompted and upload it to the app
* Update your boarding pass on the DigiYatra app and share it with your departure airport. The name on your boarding pass, flight ticket and Aadhaar must be the same
At the departure aerodrome enabled DY:
* Arrive at DY designated gate. In the case of Delhi: E-Gate, gate number 2 at Terminal 3
* Share and scan your barcode boarding pass/mobile boarding pass
* Examine the gate camera installed in the facial recognition system (FRS).
* If validation is successful, the E-Gate will open to allow you to enter the airport
* Once inside the terminal, leave your bags at the airline check-in desk. If you have no luggage, proceed to DigiYatra Gate. In the case of Delhi, pre-boarding security check in zone 1 near the business class entrance
* Examine the E-Gate camera installed in the Facial Recognition System (FRS).
* Upon successful validation, the E-Gate will open for you to go through the security check
(Source: Delhi Airport website)
