Railways Revamp: Tatkal Ticketing Made Fairer with New Aadhaar Authentication Rules

The Indian Railways has announced significant modifications to its Tatkal ticket booking system aimed at promoting transparency and accessibility. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw emphasized the initiative's goal to prioritize genuine users in the booking process. 'Tatkal ticketing has been made more accessible for genuine users,' Minister Vaishnaw declared in a recent social media post.

The overhaul includes mandatory Aadhaar authentication for online Tatkal bookings. Starting July 1, 2025, patrons must authenticate their identities via Aadhaar to purchase tickets on IRCTC's official platforms. Moreover, from July 15, 2025, both Aadhaar-based OTP authentication for online transactions and OTP verification at Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters will be essential.

To curb bulk bookings during peak times, Indian Railways has imposed a time restriction on ticket agents. They will be prohibited from booking Tatkal tickets in the first 30 minutes of availability for both AC and non-AC classes. These steps are part of a broader effort to ensure the benefits of the Tatkal scheme are experienced by legitimate travelers. The Ministry of Railways calls upon passengers to update their Aadhaar details in their IRCTC profiles promptly.

(With inputs from agencies.)