In a bid to enhance transparency and ensure equitable access to emergency travel bookings, the Indian Railways has announced a series of overhauls to the Tatkal ticket booking process. The new measures, focusing on identity verification and curbing agent interference, will be rolled out in phases starting July 1, 2025.
According to a circular issued by the Ministry of Railways, from July 1, only passengers who have completed Aadhaar authentication will be allowed to book Tatkal tickets via the IRCTC website and mobile app. Further tightening the security net, Aadhaar-based OTP verification will become mandatory from July 15 for all Tatkal bookings.
The revised policy aims to tackle the long-standing issue of ticket hoarding by agents, which often leaves genuine travelers scrambling for tickets during peak seasons. Officials stated that the move is designed to give common passengers a fairer chance to secure last-minute tickets, especially during high-demand periods.
In addition to online platforms, similar verification protocols will be implemented at Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters and through authorized agents. Starting July 15, passengers booking Tatkal tickets through these channels will also need to authenticate their identity via a system-generated OTP sent to their registered mobile number.
To further deter bulk booking by agents, the Railways has introduced a time-based restriction on their access to the Tatkal quota. Agents will be barred from booking air-conditioned class tickets between 10:00 AM and 10:30 AM, and non-AC class tickets between 11:00 AM and 11:30 AM—the critical first 30 minutes when bookings open each day.
The Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) and IRCTC have been tasked with implementing the necessary technical changes in the backend systems to facilitate these updates. Additionally, all zonal railway divisions have been instructed to prepare for seamless execution of the revised protocols.
Railway officials expressed confidence that the updated guidelines will significantly curb ticketing malpractices, enhance security, and restore public trust in the Tatkal system by ensuring bookings benefit genuine passengers.
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