New Delhi, June 11
As Indian Railways announced key modifications in the Tatkal ticket booking system with an aim to ensure fair and transparent access to Tatkal tickets, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that Tatkal ticketing has been made more accessible for genuine users.
In a post on X, Ashwini Vaishnaw shared, "Tatkal ticketing made more accessible for genuine users."
These changes are aimed at enhancing user authentication and reducing misuse of the scheme.
The new provisions are Aadhaar Authentication for Online Tatkal Bookings: Effective 1st July 2025, Tatkal tickets booked through IRCTC's official website and mobile app will be available only to users authenticated with Aadhaar.
Further, Aadhaar-based OTP authentication will become mandatory for Tatkal bookings made online starting 15th July 2025.
System-Based OTP Authentication at PRS Counters and Agents: 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. This provision will also come into effect from July 15, 2025.
Booking Time Restriction for Authorised Agents: To prevent bulk bookings during the critical opening period, authorised ticketing agents of Indian Railways will not be permitted to book opening-day Tatkal tickets during the first 30 minutes of the booking window.
For AC classes, this restriction applies from 10:00 am to 10:30 am, and for non-AC classes, from 11:00 am to 11:30 am.
These changes are being implemented to improve transparency in Tatkal bookings and to ensure that the benefits of the scheme reach genuine end users.
CRIS and IRCTC have been instructed to make necessary system modifications and inform all Zonal Railways and concerned departments accordingly.
The Ministry of Railways urges all passengers to take note of these changes and encourages everyone to ensure Aadhaar linkage with their IRCTC user profiles to avoid inconvenience.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Finally some good steps to stop touts! I've missed so many Tatkal tickets because of bulk bookings by agents. Hope this Aadhaar linking will help genuine travelers like me who need last-minute tickets for emergencies. ðŸ™
Good initiative but implementation will be key. What about senior citizens who don't have Aadhaar or smartphones for OTP? Railways should keep alternative methods for such cases. Otherwise it's digital exclusion.
The 30-minute restriction for agents is a masterstroke! Now common people will actually stand a chance to get Tatkal tickets. Though I wonder if agents will find loopholes around this too...
Why only Tatkal? These measures should be applied to all ticket bookings to stop the black market completely. Also, IRCTC website crashes during peak hours - that needs fixing first! 😤
As someone who travels frequently, I welcome this move. Last month I had to pay 3x price to a tout because I couldn't get Tatkal ticket. Hope these changes bring some relief to middle-class travelers.
Good steps but execution matters. IRCTC should ensure their systems can handle the Aadhaar verification load. Remember the chaos during Aadhaar-PAN linking? Don't want similar mess during ticket booking!
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.