Digi Yatra: The Paperless Check-In Clouded by Controversy

Since its launch on December 1, 2022, Digi Yatra has been embroiled in controversy. Most recently, one of its vendors, Dataevolve Solutions has been accused by Andhra Pradesh police of defrauding them of traffic e-challan payments.

Let's delve deeper into this situation and understand the issues at hand.

Some background? 

In 2021, the Niti Aayog, awarded Dataevolve a contract worth Rs 10 crore (approximately $1.2 million USD) to build the technological infrastructure for Digi yatra. It's an initiative of MOCA (Ministry of Civil Aviation) & Digi Yatra Foundation (DYF). 

DYF, a not-for-profit organization owning the Digi Yatra app, is exempt from the Right to Information Act due to its private entity status. This non-government company was incorporated on 20 February 2019.

What was Digi Yatra meant to fulfil?  

It is supposed to enhance the passenger experience through four key pillars: Connected Passengers, Connected Airports,Connected Flying, and Connected Systems.

Some of the present and future benefits for passengers are: 

• Link Aadhaar for faster airport entry and automated check-ins.
• Utilize biometric solutions for swift security checks.
• Predict airfares and identify price trends.
• Access details about facilities, protocols, timings, and queue lengths.
• Engage with customized offerings at experience zones.
• Receive real-time updates on delays and congestion.
• Use digital guidance, kiosks, and augmented reality apps.
• Book in-flight services and destination-based offerings, and stay connected.
• Receive notifications when luggage arrives.
• Submit grievances, share experiences, and provide feedback.

Overall, Digi Yatra aims to revolutionise air travel by creating a seamless, efficient, and personalised experience for passengers from trip planning to baggage claim.

So far..

• Total Digi Yatra Users 4.94 Million  
• Android Users 2.24 Million 
• iPhone Users 2.70 Million 
• Present in 13 Airports (Delhi, Bengaluru, Varanasi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Vijayawada, Pune, Mumbai, Cochin, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Jaipur, Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram)

The controversy

Dataevolve was accused to be involved in a controversy over an alleged funds embezzlement scam in Andhra Pradesh. In November 2023, Avinash Komireddy, the CEO of Dataevolve, was arrested for allegedly stealing at least Rs 36 Crores in E-challan fees from the Andhra Pradesh police department. Komireddy is accused of using a cloned app called "Razor Pe" to siphon off funds by cloning payment gateways of traffic e-challan accounts. 

Some keen insights have been shared by Col K S Raj, Cybersecurity Expert in his article titled: A Wake-Up Call for Privacy and Due Diligence 

Saket Gokhale and RTI Activist too took to X (Twitter) to evaluate the breach from various aspects for the flyers of India.

This is one of many issues surrounding Digi Yatra. There are already concerns raised around Transparecey and privacy of the users. 

What has Government done so far? 

The government has implemented several measures to ensure data security for Digi Yatra, the digital travel platform for air passengers in India. Here are the key actions taken: 

1. DYF has ended their contract with Dataevolve. 
2. The Digi Yatra Central Ecosystem (DYCE) is built on the fundamental tenets of privacy by design/default. This means that data privacy considerations are integrated into the system architecture from the outset. 
3. There is no central storage of passengers' Personally Identifiable Information (PII) data. Instead, personal information is stored in the mobile wallet of the traveler. The data is shared with the departure airport in an encrypted format and is purged from the system 24 hours after flight departure. 
4. The Digi Yatra processes undergo regular audits and certification by CERT-In empanelled agencies to ensure adherence to data privacy and security standards.

These measures collectively aim to safeguard passenger data and protect privacy while enhancing the travel experience through Digi Yatra. 

Conclusion

A service similar to Digi Yatra was implemented in the United States by the US Department of Homeland Security, which was proven to have multiple legal, technical and privacy problems of exclusion errors, weak privacy safeguards, and function creep into surveillance. They have been addressing these issues and expanding the rollout to multiple airports

In conclusion, while the controversy surrounding Dataevolve Solutions and subsequent government action raised valid concerns, it has ultimately strengthened Digi Yatra's data security framework. This ongoing process is crucial in maintaining user trust. The convenience of Digi Yatra is evident in the numerous positive experiences shared on social media by satisfied users. 

Moving forward, the government should respect user autonomy and allow individuals to decide whether to opt-in for this technology or opt for physical verification methods.

Jai Hind!