Context: Recently, air travellers took to social media to express their shock and anger because their privacy was being violated at airports.This was mainly happening due to the forceful promotion of the Digi Yatra initiative by the Union government.

About:

• It was  introduced in December 2022 as a completely voluntary program, commenced its rollout at three airports, including Delhi, and has since been extended to 11 additional airports.
• The initiative, aligned with the Digital India vision to digitally empower the nation, is an industry-led effort coordinated by the Ministry of Civil Aviation. DigiYatra offers a Biometric Enabled Seamless Travel experience (BEST) by utilizing Facial Recognition Technology.
• This technology facilitates the automatic processing of passengers at various checkpoints, encompassing airport entry, security checks, aircraft boarding, and more.

How to avail this facility:

• To utilize this service, individuals must initially download the DigiYatra app. Registration on the app involves using Aadhaar credentials.
• Subsequently, users are required to scan their boarding pass, containing a QR code or Bar code, and share the obtained credentials with the respective airport.
• At airport entry points, passengers must scan their boarding passes at the e-gate and undergo facial recognition through the installed camera. This process is similarly applicable at other checkpoints within the airport.

DigiYatra Foundation

• The DigiYatra project is executed through the DigiYatra Foundation, which is a joint-venture entity registered under the Companies Act, 2013.
• This foundation assumes the role of the custodian for the passenger ID validation process and is responsible for establishing the criteria for compliance and providing guidelines for local airport systems.

Benefits:

Eliminates the need for passengers to present boarding passes or IDs at multiple checkpoints.

- Reduces human intervention, leading to shorter queue times.

- Enhances airport security by validating passenger data with the Airlines Departure Control System, permitting only designated passengers to enter the terminal.

- Provides real-time information to airport operators for improved passenger load management and Resource planning.

- Enables airlines to track the position of passengers within the airport, offering operational benefits.

- Enhances airport throughput.

Concerns Raised:

- Privacy Concerns: DigiYatra, considered the 'future of air travel,' raises privacy concerns as it allows the government access to extensive information about individuals' travel patterns.

- Data Security: The collection of facial biometric data by DigiYatra raises security concerns.

- Lack of Clarity: Questions remain unanswered, such as the role of DigiYatra Foundation, a private entity, and the government's promotion of its use.

- Cost Savings and Security Deployment: It is unclear whether DigiYatra results in cost savings on security deployment, as the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) continues to manage these gates.

- Pending Legislation: India has yet to notify its Digital Personal Data Protection Bill 2023, passed in Parliament in August of the previous year.