Pune flyers may soon benefit from govt's fast track immigration system

International passengers flying out of Pune airport may soon see shorter waits at immigration. Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol has said he will push for the Fast Track Immigration facility to be introduced at the airport. He told TOI that immigration comes under the Union ministry of home affairs and discussions will be held with the ministry so that Pune can get the system.

The Centre launched the Fast Track Immigration–Trusted Traveller Programme early last year to speed up immigration clearance for pre-verified passengers through automated e-gates. In September 2025, the programme was expanded to five more airports — Lucknow, Amritsar, Thiruvananthapuram, Tiruchirapalli and Kozhikode. With this addition, the facility is now available at 13 airports, including Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kochi and Ahmedabad.

Pune airport currently operates four direct international flights to Dubai and Bangkok. Around 30,000 passengers use these flights every month. In 2025, the airport handled 3,38,770 international passengers, up from 2,05,460 in 2024, marking a rise of about 65%.

Passengers said the new system is needed at Pune airport. “I was through situations at this airport when just one or two counters at the immigration section were open, resulting in massive delays. If the new system cuts down on time, Pune should have it. I saw the system in airports abroad, like Dubai,” Sandesh Chauhan, a businessman from Koregaon Park, told TOI.

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Another frequent flyer, Vimannagar resident Adwik Joshi, shared a similar view. “Pune is a fast-growing airport and is among the list of the top 10 busiest airports in the country. The new system will definitely help flyers, as they will be able to get out of the facility faster, considering the fact that international flights are long and, once the aircraft lands, flyers want to get home as soon as possible. My friends complained about only a few counters being operational at times in the immigration area, which frustrates them,” he told TOI.

Airport sources said immigration delays also affect aircraft movement. After an international flight lands, the aircraft cannot leave the parking bay until all passengers clear customs. “All flyers need to be checked and scanned due to fears and doubts of smuggling, as there were cases in which smugglers tend to hide gold in the aircraft for someone else to pick it up during the aircraft's domestic leg. Even the cleaning of the aircraft cannot be carried out until an all-clear comes from authorities,” an official told TOI.

Pune airport has 10 parking bays and has faced issues in the past when flights could not get air traffic control clearance to land on time because bays were occupied.

The Fast Track Immigration facility can be used by enrolling through the portal ftittp.mha.gov.in. Applicants must complete online registration, upload documents and submit biometric details, which are captured either at a Foreigners Regional Registration Office or at the airport. Registered passengers scan their boarding pass and passport at the e-gates, where biometric authentication is done at arrival and departure. Once verified, the gates open automatically, allowing faster clearance.