Immigration hassles at major airports in the country are expected to ease as the Bureau of Immigration has increased strength at the country’s major airports, specifically in Mumbai and Delhi. The move
is expected to shorten queues at immigration counters at major airports during the upcoming holiday season, officials told News18.
The arrangement has been made by inducting officials in the immigration from other departments on deputation like the paramilitary and Delhi Police. Staff from other airports has also been diverted to major airports that witness an unusually high footfall during the festive season towards the year end.
Starting October to December, airports across the country witness heavy passenger movement due to festivals such as Diwali, Dussehra, Christmas and New Year.
Last month, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had asked airlines to add flights across key routes to prevent a spike in airfares during the upcoming season.
In India, as far as the immigration traffic is concerned, Delhi and Mumbai airports alone contribute to almost 55 per cent of the total passengers. The move will not only cut the lines short bringing down the waiting time for the passengers but also reduce the clearance time because of the Fast Track Immigration-Trusted Traveller Program, an official said.
The Trusted Traveller Program has now been extended to 16 airports.
In its first phase, apart from Delhi, the initiative was also introduced at seven other international airports—Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Cochin and Ahmedabad. By early next year, the facility is slated to cover a total of 21 airports in the country.
Till August this year, more than three lakh passengers had applied for the Fast Track Immigration-Trusted Traveller Program that was launched at Terminal-3 of Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) in New Delhi on June 22, 2024 when eight e-gates were installed: four for arrivals and four for departures.
The facility is designed to expedite immigration clearance for eligible travellers. It runs on e-gates or automated border gates to minimise human intervention in the immigration clearance process.
