QIn the Parliament Question Hour session on Monday, February 5, the Ministry of Civil Aviation responded in a written reply to Parliament, providing a detailed account of the management and data protection measures in place for the Digi Yatra initiative. The revelation comes as the government seeks to assure the public about the privacy and security aspects of the digital platform set to transform air travel experiences.
Managed by the Digi Yatra Foundation, a Not-For-Profit company created under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013, the Digi Yatra Central Ecosystem operates outside the ambit of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the ministry said. This status is designed to ensure focused governance and flexibility in the implementation of the initiative.
The heart of the matter lies in the Digi Yatra Guidelines, “issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) through Aeronautical Information Circular (AIC) No. 09/2022 dated 18.04.2022″. These guidelines establish a decentralised mobile wallet-based identity management platform, aiming to streamline passenger facilitation while addressing data protection concerns.
Managed by the Digi Yatra Foundation, a Not-For-Profit company created under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013, the Digi Yatra Central Ecosystem operates outside the ambit of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the ministry said. This status is designed to ensure focused governance and flexibility in the implementation of the initiative.
The Ministry further highlighted that Digi Yatra processes undergo thorough scrutiny through audits and certification by Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) empanelled agencies. This stringent oversight ensures strict adherence to data privacy and security standards, adding an extra layer of confidence for passengers participating in the digital travel facilitation system.
The Digi Yatra initiative, introduced in December 2022, has already gained traction at 13 airports across the country, offering contactless and seamless movement for domestic passengers through Facial Recognition Technology (FRT).
At present, it is available in — Delhi, Bengaluru, Varanasi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Vijayawada, Pune, Mumbai, Cochin, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Jaipur and Guwahati.
As the government sets its sights on expanding Digi Yatra to 14 more airports in the coming months, including popular destinations like Chennai, Bhubaneshwar, and Coimbatore, the assurance of robust data protection measures signals a commitment to safeguarding passenger information in this innovative leap toward a digitised air travel experience.
