Digi Yatra to Expand to 15 More Airports in FY26

11 Jun 2025 CW Team

Among the new airports adopting Digi Yatra are Mangaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, Srinagar, Chandigarh, and Nagpur. While these five are being prepared, other Airports Authority of India (AAI)-run facilities are infrastructure-ready but awaiting final technology integration.

Launched in 2022, Digi Yatra leverages a decentralised ID model, allowing passengers to authenticate their identity using Aadhaar and a boarding pass. The app has been downloaded 14 million times and has supported over 56 million airport journeys to date.

Passengers begin by submitting their Aadhaar number and verifying it via OTP. The system matches a selfie to the Aadhaar image, creating a digitally stamped "verified credential" stored in the user's Digi Yatra wallet. Data minimisation principles are applied—only essential information such as name, gender, date of birth, and masked Aadhaar number is used.

In the next step, passengers upload their boarding pass. The system cross-verifies travel details and matches facial recognition data at the airport gate. If everything matches, access is granted automatically with no human involvement.

On data security, Sharma assures that biometric data is erased from Digi Yatra’s systems within 24 hours of flight departure. Airports also follow strict policies, with audits conducted annually to ensure compliance. In some cases, data is deleted even faster—within four to five hours—based on security agency guidelines.

The initiative reflects India’s broader move toward frictionless, tech-enabled air travel, especially as passenger volumes rise and infrastructure modernisation continues across the aviation sector.

Digi Yatra, the Civil Aviation Ministry’s facial recognition-based air travel initiative, will be rolled out to 15 additional airports in the 2025–26 financial year, according to Siddharth Sharma, Head of IT Operations at Digi Yatra Foundation. The expansion follows successful implementation across all metro and major airports, with the focus now shifting to smaller facilities where demand justifies the upgrade.Among the new airports adopting Digi Yatra are Mangaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, Srinagar, Chandigarh, and Nagpur. While these five are being prepared, other Airports Authority of India (AAI)-run facilities are infrastructure-ready but awaiting final technology integration.Launched in 2022, Digi Yatra leverages a decentralised ID model, allowing passengers to authenticate their identity using Aadhaar and a boarding pass. The app has been downloaded 14 million times and has supported over 56 million airport journeys to date.Passengers begin by submitting their Aadhaar number and verifying it via OTP. The system matches a selfie to the Aadhaar image, creating a digitally stamped verified credential stored in the user's Digi Yatra wallet. Data minimisation principles are applied—only essential information such as name, gender, date of birth, and masked Aadhaar number is used.In the next step, passengers upload their boarding pass. The system cross-verifies travel details and matches facial recognition data at the airport gate. If everything matches, access is granted automatically with no human involvement.On data security, Sharma assures that biometric data is erased from Digi Yatra’s systems within 24 hours of flight departure. Airports also follow strict policies, with audits conducted annually to ensure compliance. In some cases, data is deleted even faster—within four to five hours—based on security agency guidelines.The initiative reflects India’s broader move toward frictionless, tech-enabled air travel, especially as passenger volumes rise and infrastructure modernisation continues across the aviation sector.

Infrastructure Energy

17 Dec 2025

Vedanta Aluminium Uses 1.57 bn Units of Green Energy in FY25

Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest aluminium producer, recently reported consumption of 1.57 billion units of renewable energy in FY25, marking a significant milestone in its 2030 decarbonisation roadmap. The company also achieved an 8.96 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity compared to FY21, reinforcing its leadership in India’s low-carbon manufacturing transition. During FY25, Vedanta Aluminium expanded its renewable energy portfolio through long-term power purchase agreements, strengthening its strategy to source nearly 1,500 MW of renewable power over the lon..

Real Estate

17 Dec 2025

Oberoi Group to Develop Luxury Resort at Makaibari Tea Estate

EIH Limited, the flagship company of The Oberoi Group, has announced the signing of a management agreement to develop an Oberoi luxury resort at the iconic Makaibari Tea Estate in Darjeeling. The project marks a key milestone in the Group’s long-term strategy of creating distinctive hospitality experiences in rare and environmentally significant locations. Established in 1859, Makaibari is one of the world’s oldest tea estates and is globally recognised for its Himalayan landscape, primary forests and exceptional biodiversity. Spread across 1,236 acres, the estate houses one of the world�..

Real Estate

17 Dec 2025

GHV Infra Secures Rs 1.09 Bn EPC Order in Jamshedpur

GHV Infra Projects Ltd, a fast-growing EPC company in India’s infrastructure and construction sector, has recently secured a Rs 1.09 billion work order in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand. Awarded by a reputed group entity, the contract covers end-to-end civil construction, mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) systems, along with high-quality finishing works for a large building development. The project will be executed over a 30-month period, with defined benchmarks for quality, safety and timely delivery. The order strengthens GHV Infra’s footprint in Jamshedpur, a key industrial hub known fo..