India’s biometric-based mobile application for airport entry, Digiyatra, is set for a major update, which will include support for all 22 official languages, expanding its accessibility to millions of domestic travellers. 

According to Suresh Khadakbhavi, CEO, Digiyatra Foundation, the updated version of the app, currently in the testing phase, is expected to be launched by March 2025.

“The goal is to make Digiyatra as inclusive and user-friendly as possible,” Khadakbhavi told businessline. 

“By adding all national languages, we aim to provide a better and more immersive experience for a broader and more diverse range of passengers, ensuring that all users across India can navigate the airport entry process with ease.”

The primary goal of the app is to improve the passenger experience at airports by reducing the requirement for human validation of tickets and identification documents at contact points. 

The facility has been efficient in decongesting airport departure terminal areas during busy travel seasons where it has been applied.

Accordingly, Khadakbhavi emphasised that the app has significantly improved the travel experience for domestic passengers, streamlining processes and reducing wait times.

“This is a one-of-a-kind application in the world that has improved the travel experience and brought convenience to passengers,” Khadakbhavi said.

He said that going beyond the domestic market, the Digiyatra 2.0 version is being developed with plans to extend its functionality to international travel.

However, the new feature will require coordination with various stakeholders, including domestic and international regulatory bodies.

“There needs to be a consensus among all parties before we can roll out international travel features,” he said. 

“We are currently in discussions with all the stakeholders. The feature will not be integrated immediately; however, we are optimistic about its eventual integration.”

As the popularity of air travel continues to grow in India, the app’s user base is expected to expand significantly. 

The domestic passenger numbers have surged in recent months, further driving demand for efficient travel solutions like Digiyatra. 

Notably, the app is already operational at 24 airports across India, and plans are in place to extend it to four more by the end of 2024. 

New airports set to adopt the Digiyatra system include Chandigarh, Thiruvananthapuram, Mangaluru, and Srinagar.

“We expect to see 1 crore downlaods of the application by January 2025, with nearly 79 lakhs active users as of now,” Khadakbhavi said.  

“With more airports coming online, we expect a significant increase in active users.”

Until about last month, the mobile application had received over 73 lakh downloads, with an average download rate of 35,000 per day.

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