Indian Railways Rolls Out e-Aadhaar Authentication for Tatkal Ticket Booking to Curb Fraud

What you need to Know

• Indian Railways introduces mandatory e-Aadhaar for Tatkal booking.

• OTP-based Aadhaar authentication will be required at checkout.

• Aadhaar-linked accounts will get priority during Tatkal window.

• Over 2.5 crore fake accounts already removed by Indian Railways.

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In a major step towards making it more transparent and minimizing malpractices, Indian Railways is bringing in compulsory e-Aadhaar verification for Tatkal ticket reservations. This strategic move will usher in a safer and equitable ticketing process, favoring genuine travelers and addressing abuse by touts and bots.

Stamping Out Ticket Hoarding and Illegal Booking

The main intention behind this move is to stop hoarding of tickets and unauthorized reservations, which have been a perpetual issue during Tatkal bookings. Agents or automated robots usually jump in at the beginning of the booking window, and the genuine travelers end up purchasing tickets at higher rates or lose them altogether. Through e-Aadhaar-based verification, Indian Railways aims to put an end to such iniquitous practices.

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What's New in the Tatkal Booking Process?

The rollout of this new system is expected later this month, and it introduces a slew of changes to the existing Tatkal booking process:

• Aadhaar-verified IRCTC accounts will be prioritized while booking Tatkal tickets.

• Users will be required to undergo an OTP-based Aadhaar authentication process during checkout, introducing a critical layer of identity verification.

• IRCTC-approved agents will be barred from Tatkal ticket bookings in the first 10 minutes of the window, essentially providing normal users an equal opportunity to book seats.

Why It Matters for Normal Passengers

For the average traveler, this shift is likely to be a game-changer. Connecting your Aadhaar with your IRCTC account will not only become necessary but also provide a smoother and safer experience in booking tickets. With real users being preferred, the availability of a Tatkal ticket shoots up higher.

In addition, Indian Railways has already deactivated more than 2.5 crore suspect accounts, which also reflects a stringent crackdown on ticketing scam. This purging exercise is likely to limit misuse heavily and enhance the efficiency of the entire reservation system.

This Aadhaar authentication for Tatkal bookings is a demonstration of Indian Railways's commercial commitment to enhance transparency, integrity, and user-centricity within its train ticketing eco-system. A few people may take this as an additional burden, however, it is essentially about safeguarding the interests of legitimate passengers and enhancing equity for all passengers entitled to Tatkal booking.