New Delhi: Though the decision on Aadhar making it mandatory has not been completely ruled out by the apex court, linking of Aadhar is made mandatory by other central and governmental organizations.
After IRDAI, Airport Authority of India will implement “digi-yatra” programme where the customers can link their Aadhar at the time of booking and enjoy a hassle-less boarding at the terminals.
AAI will be rolling out this new programme at Kolkata, Ahmebadad and Vijayawada airports from the next year. The airports will use the stored biometrics data that would prove the customers’ identity to let them into the terminals.
The customers Aadhaar-linked airline database will show what flight the customers are booked on and likewise, the linked airport databases will display the customers have been security screened and allowed access to boarding gate closer to the flight departure time, a process that would completely eliminate the entry hassles of showing IDs, boarding passes etc.
AAI chairman Guruprasad Mohapatra said: “This solution provides the passenger an option to enter Aadhaar number while booking. At the airport entry, an E-gate will read the ticket’s bar code containing ticket information and Aadhaar information. The system will authenticate travel details and the passenger will present biometric for Aadhaar authentication. On successful authentication, the E-gate will open.”
“Thereafter the passenger can access services like check-in, security check and boarding using QR Code or biometric. Passengers opting for an identity other than Aadhaar, will have to go through the manual process of verification by CISF at the entry gate. Digi yatra will enable more services to be delivered as self-service,” Mohapatra added.