Indian Railways to Introduce e-Aadhaar Authentication for Tatkal Bookings; 2.5 Crore Fake Accounts Blocked
Reported by Amit Singh
Pune, 5th June 2025: Indian Railways will soon introduce e-Aadhaar authentication for Tatkal ticket bookings in a bid to support genuine users and address misuse of the high-demand reservation system. The update was announced by the Union Railway Minister on June 4 via a post on X at 15:57 UTC, stating, “Bharatiya Railways will soon start using e-Aadhaar authentication to book Tatkal tickets. This will help genuine users get confirmed tickets during need.”
The move follows a series of crackdowns on unauthorized bookings, including the deactivation of approximately 2.5 crore fake user IDs after investigations into suspicious Tatkal ticketing activity. The new system will require passengers to verify their identity using an Aadhaar-based OTP during the booking process on the IRCTC platform.
According to railway officials, the e-Aadhaar authentication is expected to be introduced later this month. The policy is designed to reduce bot interference, unauthorized agent bookings, and enhance the transparency of Tatkal reservations.
Public responses on X reflect both support and concerns regarding the upcoming change. Some users raised questions about the additional time Aadhaar verification could add to the booking process, potentially putting individual users at a disadvantage compared to agents using faster systems. Others flagged technical issues such as OTP delivery delays and poor internet connectivity in certain areas, which may hinder timely bookings.
Several users also criticized the IRCTC website’s performance, pointing to advertisements that consume bandwidth and slow down the booking process. Suggestions were made to remove such ads to streamline ticket purchases.
Broader concerns about systemic inefficiencies in the Tatkal system were also voiced. Users questioned how tickets continue to disappear within seconds of the booking window opening and asked for greater transparency and fairness. Comparisons were drawn to previous railway administrations, with calls for more comprehensive reforms beyond Aadhaar authentication.
In response to ongoing challenges, Indian Railways has deployed advanced anti-bot systems and integrated a Content Delivery Network (CDN) to minimize automated bookings. Railway sources indicated that bot traffic previously accounted for up to 50% of login attempts during the first five minutes of the Tatkal window. The updated infrastructure now blocks all such traffic during that time frame.
The railway ministry has also revised its account verification rules. Aadhaar-verified users can now book tickets immediately after account creation, while non-verified users must wait three days. In the last six months, the system has flagged 2 million accounts as suspicious and blocked over 24 million users. Of the 130 million IRCTC users, only 12 million are currently Aadhaar-verified.
The e-Aadhaar Authentication initiative is part of Indian Railways’ larger strategy to streamline digital services and improve ticketing access, especially during peak demand periods.
