Indian Railways is set to enforce Aadhaar authentication for Tatkal ticket booking starting July 1, 2025, aiming to curb misuse and streamline the booking process.
The Railway Ministry, in a circular dated June 10, announced that only Aadhaar-authenticated users would be allowed to book Tatkal tickets through the IRCTC website and mobile application.
Furthermore, an additional layer of security will be introduced from July 15, requiring OTP authentication for all Tatkal bookings. The OTP, generated by the system, will be sent to the mobile number registered by the user at the time of booking. Indian Railways has also restricted authorised ticketing agents from booking Tatkal tickets during the first 30 minutes of availability—between 10:00 AM and 10:30 AM for AC classes and 11:00 AM to 11:30 AM for non-AC classes.
The ministry has directed IRCTC and the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) to implement these changes across all railway zones and ensure widespread awareness through various communication channels. With these new regulations, Indian Railways aims to make the Tatkal booking process more transparent and accessible to genuine passengers.
