Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Jun 11: In a major move aimed at curbing ticketing fraud and ensuring transparency, the Ministry of Railways on Wednesday announced that Aadhaar authentication will become mandatory for booking Tatkal tickets on IRCTC’s website and mobile app starting July 1.

From July 15, Aadhaar-based OTP authentication will be compulsory for all online Tatkal bookings, including those made at computerised Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters and through authorised agents. An OTP will be sent to the mobile number provided at the time of booking.

To prevent ticket hoarding during the critical early minutes of Tatkal booking, Indian Railways has also barred its authorised agents from booking opening-day Tatkal tickets during the first 30 minutes of the booking window.

This restriction will apply:

• For AC class tickets: From 10 am to 10:30 am
• For Non-AC class tickets: From 11 am to 11:30 am

The ministry said the measures are part of a broader effort to improve transparency and ensure that genuine users benefit from the Tatkal scheme. Passengers are advised to link their Aadhaar with their IRCTC accounts to avoid inconvenience.

The Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) and IRCTC have been directed to implement the changes and notify all Zonal Railways accordingly.

Indian Railways had earlier deactivated 2.5 cr fake IDs and flagged another 20 lac for revalidation. Investigations revealed widespread misuse by touts using fake emails and bots to hoard Tatkal tickets and sell them at inflated prices.

IRCTC is now deploying AI-powered systems to detect suspicious ticketing behaviour and stop bots in real-time, aiming to protect the interests of genuine travellers.