Tatkal booking needs Aadhaar authentication from July 1

Thiruvananthapuram: With an aim to ensure fair and transparent access to Tatkal tickets and to safeguard the interests of genuine passengers, Indian Railways has announced key modifications in the Tatkal ticket booking system.

The changes are aimed at enhancing user authentication and reducing misuse of the scheme.

Effective July 1, 2025, Tatkal tickets booked through IRCTC’s official website and mobile app will be available only to users authenticated with Aadhaar.

Further, Aadhaar-based OTP authentication will become mandatory for Tatkal bookings made online starting July 15, 2025, a release said.

Tatkal tickets booked at computerised Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters and through authorised agents will require OTP authentication sent to the mobile number provided by the user at the time of booking. This provision will also come into effect from July 15, 2025.

To prevent bulk bookings during the critical opening period, authorised ticketing agents of Indian Railways will not be permitted to book opening-day Tatkal tickets during the first 30 minutes of the booking window.

For AC classes, this restriction applies from 10 am to 10.30 am, and for non-AC classes, from 11 am to 11.30 am.

These changes are being implemented to improve transparency in Tatkal bookings and to ensure that the benefits of the scheme reach genuine end users.

CRIS and IRCTC have been instructed to make necessary system modifications and inform all zonal railways and concerned departments accordingly.

The Ministry of Railways urges all passengers to take note of these changes and encourages everyone to ensure Aadhaar linkage with their IRCTC user profiles to avoid inconvenience.