DIGI
YATRA - GOVERNANCE
News:
What are the complaints
about Digi Yatra? | Explained
What's
in the news?
●
The biometric face scanning system has
sparked concerns and confusion among travellers.
Key
takeaways:
●
Many were uninformed about why their faces
were being scanned or why participation was compulsory. This system, already
operational in 13 airports, is set to expand nationwide.
Establishment
of Digi Yatra:
●
DigiYatra traces its origins back to 2018,
with its primary objective being a seamless,
contactless airport experience through facial recognition.
●
The Ministry of Civil Aviation claims that
privacy concerns have been addressed, citing a decentralised, mobile
wallet-based identity management system.
DigiYatra:
●
The 'DigiYatra' is a Biometric Enabled Seamless Travel experience (BEST) based on Facial Recognition
Technology.
●
The 'DigiYatra' is an industry-led
initiative coordinated by the Ministry
of Civil Aviation in line with Digital India's vision to transform the
nation into a digitally empowered society.
Aim:
●
To make air travellers hassle-free,
frictionless and health-risk-free.
●
To transform the nation into a digitally empowered society.
●
Digi Yatra facilitates paperless travel
and avoids identity check at multiple points.
Objective:
●
With this technology, the entry of
passengers would be automatically processed based on the facial recognition
system at all checkpoints – including entry into the airport, security check
areas, aircraft boarding, etc.
Features:
●
To use this facility, passengers will need
to first download the DigiYatra app.
●
Users can register on the app using
Aadhaar credentials. Then, the person will have to scan his or her boarding
pass with the QR code or Bar code, after which the credentials will be shared
with the airport.
●
For entry into the airport, passengers
will need to scan their boarding passes at the e-gate and look into the facial
recognition system camera installed there. A similar method will be applicable
for entry into other checkpoints.
Airports
under Digi Yatra:
●
Digi Yatra facility will be launched at 6
more airports namely Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Kochi, Lucknow, Jaipur, and Guwahati
airports in the month of August 2023.
●
The implementation and installation of
Digi Yatra infrastructure at these airports will take place in a phased manner.
Significance
of the DigiYatra Initiative:
●
Efficient
Travel: Streamlines airport processes for faster, smoother
travel.
●
Paperless
Transactions: Eliminates the need for physical boarding
passes.
●
Security
Enhancement: Offers potentially more accurate security
checks.
●
Operational
Efficiency: Could reduce queues and improve airport
management.
Go
back to basics:
DigiYatra
Foundation:
●
The project is being implemented by the
DigiYatra Foundation — a joint-venture company registered under the Companies
Act, 2013.
●
The DigiYatra Foundation will be the
custodian of the passenger ID validation process.
●
It will also define the criteria for
compliance and guidelines for the local airport systems.