File image of Union Minister for Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia on the launch of Digi Yatra
| Picture Credit score: PTI

Airports have been suggested to make sure that registration of air travellers for the Digi Yatra initiative, which offers digital processing of passengers at numerous checkpoints with the assistance of a face scan, is “fully voluntary”, Minister for Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia wrote in response to a letter from TMC MP Saket Gokhale following complaints from passengers. 

“The difficulty raised by you has been examined and airport operators have been suggested to sensitise Digi buddies on consent taking course of and preserving use of Digi Yatra fully voluntary,” Mr. Scindia mentioned in his letter on January 24. Digi buddies are workers employed by airports to help passengers to enrol for Digi Yatra.

Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale wrote to Mr. Scindia after he obtained a number of complaints from air travellers that their “biometrics had been being sneakily taken with out their consent”. The Hindu additionally reported on January 5 about widespread concern amongst passengers that their facial biometrics had been being recorded by airport workers in a “coercive and misleading” method with out their consent or information.

In his letter, the Minister additionally defined that consent of passengers was a prerequisite for recording facial biometric information on the time of registration. He reiterated that the information is purged from the airport techniques inside 24 hours of flight departure.

The Digi Yatra initiative, at the moment being carried out at 13 airports, entails a cell app the place passengers can register with the assistance of their Aadhaar and a selfie in order that they will use their face as a boarding go at numerous checkpoints at an airport.

Questions have been raised about lack of safeguards to make sure privateness and the Digi Yatra coverage permitting any safety or authorities company entry to passenger information in addition to altering the information purge settings primarily based on “safety necessities” in addition to loopholes that would result in third events buying passenger information.

Earlier this week, the Minister additionally held a advisory group assembly with numerous airports the place the technique to implement Digi Yatra for worldwide journey was mentioned.