- In November 2021, Digi Yatra Foundation (DYF) handed a Rs 10 crore contract for building its tech stack to Dataevolve
- The facial recognition technology-based system shot to fame with 3.3 million downloads ever since its launch in December 2022
- But in November 2023, Dataevolve got caught in a Rs 36.5 crore scam, prompting DYF to scrub off its links with its tech partner
- And in the process, it has exposed chinks in its most basic promise: security of sensitive personal data
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“The old app is discontinued. Please download the new app.”
That’s what Ayub Khan, a staff member tasked with assisting users of Digiyatra—a contactless, biometric entry system that allows passengers to check-in at airports in India—has had to repeatedly tell folks travelling from New Delhi over the last fortnight.
While some quietly obey, others seek an explanation, which spirals into uncomfortable conversations.
“Passengers argue with us on a daily basis,” said a Digiyatra buddy stationed at Hyderabad airport. They and several others didn’t want to be named because they didn’t want to publicly comment on the matter.
Passengers aren’t irked without a reason. None of the Digiyatra users The Ken spoke with were aware that the app was discontinued. They found out about the change only when they reached the airport.
“There was no prior notice. No notifications, no SMSes…” said one of the passengers.
Digiyatra is managed by the Digi Yatra Foundation (DYF), a not-for-profit company. The Airports Authority of India, a state-owned body responsible for civil-aviation infrastructure, holds a 26% stake in the company. The rest is held by five private airports—Cochin, Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Mumbai.
The two-year-old DYF chalks this up to expansion plans. “The Digiyatra app is preparing for the future, which includes scaling up to a larger user base. To accommodate this growth, we needed to undertake certain changes at the backend, including changes to the application architecture and domain,” the foundation said in a written statement to The Ken.
But it kept the launch of the new app hush-hush.
The Ken spoke with one former official each from DYF and the Airports Authority of India (AAI), two technologists attached to law enforcement agencies, two app developers who’ve worked on government projects, and three private and public civil aviation executives.
All of them said that the new app is DYF’s attempt to wash its hands off Dataevolve—a Hyderabad-based cloud-services company. The seven-year-old firm built Digiyatra’s tech and is allegedly involved in a
Digiyatra has been battling data-privacy concerns since its inception.
Its facial recognition tech lets air travellers skip the check carried out by Central Industrial Security Force personnel who are tasked with verifying IDs and flight tickets, before entering an airport.
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