Cochin Airport to Implement MHA Trusted Traveller Programme by August 2024

Cochin International Airport to Implement MHA Trusted Traveller Programme in August 2024.

Expert Analysis:

• Implementation Timeline: 

  • Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) is to implement the Ministry of Home Affairs Trusted Traveller Programme expected launch by August 2024.

  • CIAL will be the second airport in India to do so, using biometric e-gates to significantly reduce immigration verification time.

• Technological Features:

  • Eight state-of-the-art biometric e-gates at Cochin International Airport will enable international travellers to complete the immigration process in just 20 seconds.

  • This innovation follows a similar implementation at Delhi International Airport in June.

• MHA's Fast Track Immigration: The MHA's Fast Track Immigration-Trusted Travellers' Programme (FTI-TTP) expedites clearance for eligible Indian and OCI cardholders through smart gates, allowing self-scanning of passports and face recognition, eliminating long queues and human interaction.

• Passenger Experience and Safety: Managing Director S Suhas IAS stated that Enrollment facilities and help desks are set up at CIAL, with the biometric system reducing immigration verification time from four minutes to 20 seconds, enhancing travel experience and safety.

• Operational Capacity: 

  • Handling 10 million passengers and 70,200 air traffic movements annually, CIAL is the fourth busiest airport for international traffic in India.

  • it also features the Digiyatra facility and has several modernization projects, including a Perimeter Intrusion Detection System.