Railways tightens Tatkal ticket norms; Aadhaar-based authentication made mandatory

Representative image | Photo Credit: The Hindu

With the objective of ensuring equitable access to Tatkal tickets and curbing misuse, Indian Railways on Wednesday (June 11, 2025) announced a series of modifications to the Tatkal ticket booking system.

The new provisions include Aadhaar-based authentication as a prerequisite for online Tatkal bookings. “Effective from July 1, Tatkal tickets booked through IRCTC’s official website and mobile app will be available only to users authenticated with Aadhaar,” a spokesperson of the Ministry of Railways said.

The spokesperson further stated that Aadhaar-based OTP authentication would become mandatory for all online Tatkal bookings from July 15.

In addition to online transactions, the Ministry has also made provisions for offline Tatkal bookings. “Tatkal tickets booked at computerised Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters and through authorised agents will require OTP authentication sent to the mobile number provided by the user at the time of booking,” the spokesperson said. This provision, too, will come into effect from July 15.

In an effort to prevent bulk bookings during the critical opening window, Indian Railways has barred authorised ticketing agents from booking opening-day Tatkal tickets during the first 30 minutes of the respective booking windows. “For AC classes, this restriction applies from 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., and for non-AC classes, from 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.,” the spokesperson said.

These changes, the Ministry noted, are intended to strengthen user authentication mechanisms and ensure that the Tatkal quota benefits genuine passengers.

The Railways has urged passengers to link their Aadhaar numbers with their IRCTC user profiles to avoid any inconvenience. Additionally, the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) and IRCTC have been instructed to implement the required system modifications and inform all Zonal Railways and relevant departments accordingly.

Published - June 11, 2025 08:58 pm IST