Digi Yatra service is a facial recognition tech for airport security is raising privacy concern

Facial Recognition is Posing Serious Threats to Travelling Passengers: Since December 2, the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation has started using facial recognition technology for airport security. Airports will now allow travelers to pass through various checkpoints – entry, access to the security check area and aircraft boarding – through a contactless process by using facial recognition software. This will work as an alternative to the current process involving physical verification by Central Industrial Security Force personnel as part of the security check before boarding the aircraft.

While this will cut down boarding time, the launch of facial recognition-based access as well as its links to other forms of identity has also brought to light concerns regarding passenger privacy.

At the outset, the Digi Yatra service is purportedly available for domestic passengers. Passengers are mandated to register on the DigiYatra app through their respective Aadhaar cards to avail the service.

This follows the previous timelines released by central authorities to kick off the service's rollout. What is different is that the government wants to go ahead with the full-fledged rollout and implementation of the service during the same period. This comes months after a beta version of the service was introduced at Delhi and Bengaluru airports on Independence Day this year.

The initiative automates the entry and verification of passengers at all checkpoints and uses facial features to establish a traveller's identity and link it to their respective boarding passes.

How will the DigiYatra system work?

Access through biometrics:

"A camera will capture the face for comparison with DigiYatraID Photo. On successful verification of the travel details and facial matching, the E-Gate will open. The system will also generate a token in the system combining the face of the passenger with PNR of the ticket, so that at subsequent check points the ticket details will be available on face recognition," former MoCA secretary Rajiv Nayan Choubey had said.

Boarding after facial verification: "At check-in counter or at the Self Bag Drop counter, the passenger will be identified by face and there is no need to show any document or ID for this purpose. The passenger will gain entry to the security check area through an E-Gate by facial recognition. Similarly at the boarding gate also the passenger will be identified by face for entering through an E-Gate for boarding the aircraft," he said, adding that physical frisking of passengers as per security procedures will continue.

DigiYatra ID:

One can get a DigiYatra ID by sharing details such as name, e-mail ID, mobile number, and details of an approved ID; Aadhaar ID is not mandatory, former MoCA minister Jayant Sinha explained."This DigiYatra ID will be shared by passengers while booking ticket. Airlines will share the passenger data and DigiYatraID with the departure airport," he said.

One-time verification: Sinha pointed out that a passenger who has created the Digi Yatra ID has to undergo a one-time verification at the departure airport during his/her first travel. "In case a passenger opted for Aadhar based verification, the identity will be verified online. On successful verification, facial biometric information will be captured and stored in the Digi Yatra ID profile of the passenger. In case the passenger has chosen any other identity for creating Digi Yatra ID, verification will be done manually by security personnel and facial biometrics will be captured and stored in the Digi Yatra ID profile. By this process the registration is complete," he explained.

Privacy concerns

However, concerns have been raised around user privacy given the need to link Aadhaar and provide a self-image. The collected passenger information could be misused, shared or stolen, experts suggest.

"Although technology initiatives like Digi Yatra are used for enhancing convenience and security, they are developed without a data protection regime and robust surveillance reform, which is problematic," said Kamesh Shekar, programme manager at Delhi-based think tank The Dialogue.