Aadhaar must for first 15 mins of online ticket booking from Oct 1

New Delhi: Indian Railways will require general passengers to book online tickets using Aadhaar-authenticated accounts from October 1 to prevent misuse and ensure fair access to reservations.

The Railway Board on Monday stated that, for the first 15 minutes of daily general reservations, only Aadhaar-verified users can book tickets on IRCTC’s official website or app. This directly targets bulk bookings by agents and fraud, putting ordinary passengers first.

However, the Railways have clarified that this change will not affect other existing systems. The current timings for booking general reserved tickets at computerised Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters across the country will remain unchanged. Similarly, the existing 10-minute restriction period during which authorised ticketing agents are barred from booking opening-day tickets will also continue.

The Railway Board has told CRIS and IRCTC to change their booking platforms and inform all zonal railways about the new policy. All communication channels will publicise the booking update so passengers can prepare.

Officials have been instructed to issue appropriate guidelines to staff and related stakeholders to facilitate smooth implementation. This step is part of Indian Railways’ broader initiative to enhance transparency and accountability in its ticketing system while making travel more accessible and equitable for everyday commuters.