Complaints have surfaced regarding the unauthorized collection of biometric data for Digi Yatra from passengers without their explicit consent, a matter brought to the attention of Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia by Rajya Sabha member Saket Gokhale.
Scindia affirmed that participation in Digi Yatra, which streamlines air travel through Facial Recognition Technology (FRT) at various checkpoints in airports, remains entirely voluntary for passengers. He clarified that airport personnel have been instructed to gather data for the Digi Yatra application solely with the passengers' consent.
To aid passengers in utilizing Digi Yatra, individuals known as Digi buddies have been stationed at airports.
In correspondence dated January 24, Scindia informed Gokhale that Digi Yatra is a voluntary process aimed at facilitating seamless and stress-free air travel. He reiterated that obtaining the passenger's consent is a prerequisite for capturing their facial biometric data through kiosk-based registration. Additionally, Scindia reassured that data collected is automatically erased from the airport system 24 hours post-flight departure.
The data furnished by passengers for Digi Yatra is securely stored in encrypted format. To avail of the service, passengers must register their details on the DigiYatra app using Aadhaar-based validation and a self-image capture. Subsequently, upon scanning the boarding pass, credentials are shared with the airport.
At the airport e-gate, passengers are required to scan their bar-coded boarding pass, after which the facial recognition system validates their identity and travel documents. Following this verification, passengers can proceed through the e-gate for airport entry. Standard security procedures must still be adhered to before boarding the aircraft.
The Digi Yatra Foundation, a not-for-profit organization, serves as the central authority for Digi Yatra implementation.
