Indian Railways Big Update: Government makes Aadhaar-based authentication mandatory for…, IRCTC issues statement, says…

New Delhi: In a major development, the Ministry of Railways announced an important change in the online train ticket booking process through the India(BHARAT)n Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) platform. The move is designed to enhance transparency, curb fraudulent practices, and ensure that train reservations benefit genuine passengers rather than being exploited by touts or unauthorised agents.

Starting October 28, 2025, passengers booking reserved train tickets via the IRCTC website or mobile app will be required to complete Aadhaar-based verification between 8 AM and 10 AM on the first day of ticket booking. This authentication step aims to prevent bulk or automated bookings during the high-demand hours when tickets typically sell out within minutes.

It is important to note that the Modi government has clarified that there is no change in the booking timings for general reserved tickets at computerised Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters. These counters will continue to operate as usual, unaffected by the new Aadhaar-based restriction.

Here are some of the key details:

• The Railway Ministry has said that authorised ticketing agents will remain barred from booking opening-day reserved tickets for the first 10 minutes after the reservation window opens.
• The restriction will stop agents from monopolising ticket bookings and gives individual passengers a fair chance to secure seats.
• To recall, India(BHARAT)n Railways earlier introduced a similar Aadhaar-linked process for Tatkal ticket bookings.
• Under the updated Tatkal rules, only Aadhaar-verified users can book tickets through IRCTC’s official platforms.
• Agents are not allowed to book Tatkal tickets during the first 30 minutes of the booking window to stop bulk reservations.