In a major development for train travellers in India, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is making it mandatory for users to link their Aadhaar number to their login ID when booking tickets under the Tatkal quota. The initiative is aimed at streamlining the booking process and ensuring that genuine users have a fair chance at securing last-minute train tickets.
Tatkal tickets meant for urgent travel, have long been plagued by the problem of multiple bookings by unauthorised agents and bots, leaving many ordinary users frustrated and ticketless. By requiring e-Aadhaar authentication, the Indian Railways hopes to eliminate these unfair practices.
“Indian Railways will soon start using e-Aadhaar authentication to book Tatkal tickets. This will help genuine users get confirmed tickets during need,” said Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in a recent post on X.
Aadhaar linking will be mandatory for booking Tatkal tickets via IRCTC.
The measure aims to prevent simultaneous multiple bookings by unauthorised agents.
Aadhaar-based Yes/No or eKYC authentication will also be used to confirm the identity of passengers, ticket-checking staff, and train crew.
The policy is part of a broader digital transformation push led by the Centre for Railway Information System (CRIS).
According to a Gazette notification dated May 27 2025, the Ministry of Railways has authorised CRIS to carry out Aadhaar authentication on a voluntary basis to establish identity through electronic verification.
According to an IRCTC official, the Indian Railways is also leveraging AI-powered systems to identify and eliminate fraudulent practices. This includes detecting and deactivating suspicious user IDs before they interfere with the booking platform.
The results, so far, have been promising. The number of new user IDs created daily on the IRCTC platform has dropped drastically—from around 60,000–65,000 to just 10,000–12,000. In addition, IRCTC has successfully blocked over 35 million fraudulent accounts.
A common tactic employed by ticketing agents involves creating dozens of fake profiles using throwaway email addresses and phone numbers. These dummy accounts remain active even if the email address becomes invalid after verification. Using this method, an agent could theoretically make 30 booking attempts for one individual, significantly reducing the chances of genuine travellers getting a ticket.
For those planning last-minute journeys in India, this new Aadhaar requirement could mean smoother, more transparent access to Tatkal tickets—provided the implementation is robust. Frequent train travellers should update their IRCTC profiles with Aadhaar details at the earliest to avoid last-minute hiccups.
As Indian Railways continues to modernise, such digital safeguards are crucial to ensure that the system works fairly for everyone, not just the fastest or the tech-savvy.
