New Delhi, September 12: India’s Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday inaugurated the expansion of the country’s Fast Track Immigration – Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI–TTP) to five additional airports, aiming to ease travel while bolstering border security.
The system, now operational at Lucknow, Thiruvananthapuram, Trichy, Kozhikode and Amritsar airports, allows pre-registered passengers to clear immigration in about 30 seconds using biometric verification at electronic gates.
Shah said the programme reflected Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “speed, scale and scope” and would improve convenience for both Indian citizens and holders of Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards. “This initiative not only enhances passenger experience but also strengthens national security,” he said in a video-linked ceremony.
The initiative was first launched in Delhi in 2024 and later extended to Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Kochi and Ahmedabad. With Thursday’s rollout, the system now covers 13 airports nationwide, with plans to integrate it at upcoming facilities in Navi Mumbai and Jewar.
Officials said more than 300,000 travellers have registered so far, of whom 265,000 have used the service. The government is considering linking enrolment with passport and OCI card issuance to increase adoption.
According to government data, India’s international passenger traffic has grown sharply under Modi’s leadership. The number of Indians travelling abroad rose from 35.4 million in 2014 to 61.2 million in 2024, while foreign arrivals climbed from 15.3 million to 20 million over the same period. Total international traffic reached 81.2 million in 2024, up 60% from a decade earlier.
The FTI–TTP system requires passengers to register online at a government portal, provide biometrics at immigration offices or airports, and scan their passports and boarding passes at e-Gates on departure or arrival. Once verified, travellers are cleared automatically without manual checks.
