India’s facial recognition-powered Digi Yatra platform is set for a major expansion this financial year, with 15 more airports slated to go digital by FY26. The move, led by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, is aimed at creating a more seamless, paperless and eco-friendly airport experience, especially as India eyes low-emission and digitally enabled urban mobility. Currently operational at 24 major airports and covering nearly 90 percent of outbound passenger traffic, Digi Yatra has already facilitated over 56 million digital journeys since its launch in 2022.
With this new rollout, the government plans to extend the benefits of biometric boarding to several tier-II and tier-III cities. Among the confirmed airports in this next phase are Mangalore, Trivandrum, Srinagar, Chandigarh and Nagpur. These are being prioritised based on existing footfall, infrastructural readiness and sustainability goals. The remaining airports are operated by the Airports Authority of India, with backend systems under integration. The Digi Yatra initiative represents a shift towards decentralised identity control, where passengers use Aadhaar authentication and a digital boarding pass to check in and pass through security checkpoints, eliminating the need for physical ID documents. By linking with the UIDAI ecosystem, the app ensures that identity verification is both secure and instant—reducing queues, manual errors, and carbon footprint.
As India’s airport infrastructure undergoes a green transformation, the use of biometric technology aligns with the country’s goal of net-zero emissions by 2070. The adoption of digital boarding not only reduces paper usage but also curtails the need for additional human resources and physical verification, making it a win-win for environmental and operational efficiency. However, the rollout in smaller airports comes with strategic caution. The government is closely evaluating each location to ensure that Digi Yatra’s implementation is economically and logistically viable. Airports with limited passenger volume or single-gate terminals may not require the full suite of digital services at this stage, officials stated.
Importantly, upcoming greenfield airports like Navi Mumbai and Noida will not be part of this 15-airport expansion, as their systems are still under development and will likely integrate Digi Yatra from inception. With over 14 million downloads of the Digi Yatra app and steadily increasing user adoption, the platform is becoming central to India’s broader smart mobility vision. The initiative reflects how India is positioning itself at the intersection of digital transformation and environmental stewardship in the aviation sector. As cities look to become more inclusive and efficient, airport experiences powered by tech like Digi Yatra may soon be a benchmark for public infrastructure—paperless, contactless, and sustainable.
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