Pune: Flyers from Pune will have to wait a little longer for the facial recognition system - which will do away with many security checking steps - to start. Under the ‘Digi Yatra’ programme, the Ministry of Civil Aviation is planning to start biometric boarding system at six airports, including Pune airport in Lohegaon. The system will enhance passenger movement at the airport through facial recognition.
To start the facility at the Pune airport will take around three to four months, as the trial run will start in April. The trial run will begin at Bengaluru and Hyderabad airports by end of February. A similar scheme will be rolled out at airports in Kolkata, Varanasi, Vijayawada and Pune.
“Under the proposed scheme, passengers will have their identities verified at every step of the check-in process, by being photographed at each stage,” informed Ajay Kumar, Director, Pune airport.
He said, “The system will be start e-gate under the Digi Yatra. To start the facility will take some time. Initially, we are introducing boarding pass scanner gate and then Airport Entry Pass (AEP) for officials of Airport Authority of India (AAI), CISF, airlines staffers and ground staffs. The fliers have to wait for the face recognition facility.”
The system will be similar during the security check. There will be no need of showing and stamping boarding passes after frisking,” Kumar said.
"The boarding passes and flight details of the fliers registered in the facial recognition system would also be integrated. “The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has given its in-principle nod to the project,” he added.
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