IRCTC Rules Change from Today: Here’s All About Tatkal Ticket Booking

IRCTC Rules Change from Today:
Starting July 15, 2025, important changes are coming to the Indian Railways’ Tatkal ticket booking system. From now on, passengers booking Tatkal tickets on the IRCTC website or mobile app will need to complete Aadhaar authentication using a one-time password (OTP).

IRCTC Rules Change from Today:

The Railway Department introduced this rule to stop fraud during Tatkal bookings. Many times, all Tatkal tickets are booked within minutes of opening. Agents and touts use software to block tickets quickly, leaving regular passengers without any options. The new Aadhaar OTP rule will ensure only genuine passengers can book these tickets.

From July 15, both online and counter bookings of Tatkal tickets will require Aadhaar verification. Passengers must link their Aadhaar number with a mobile number to receive the OTP. If a person is booking for someone else, they must enter that traveler’s Aadhaar number and OTP during booking.

OTP doesn’t come, passengers should check whether their Aadhaar is linked to their mobile number. If not, they can call IRCTC at 139 or Aadhaar help at 1947 for support.

Booking times for Tatkal tickets remain the same:

10:00 AM for AC classes
11:00 AM for non-AC classes

However, agents will only be allowed to book tickets 30 minutes after this time. This means agents can book:

AC Tatkal tickets from 10:30 AM
Non-AC Tatkal tickets from 11:30 AM

This move is expected to bring more transparency and fairness. Without Aadhaar, booking Tatkal tickets will be very difficult. The Railway Department has not yet announced any alternative method for people without Aadhaar.

Key Points:

Aadhaar OTP is now compulsory for Tatkal ticket bookings.
Applies to both online and counter bookings.
Agents have limited booking access after 30 minutes.
Passengers must link Aadhaar with their mobile number.
For problems, contact IRCTC (139) or Aadhaar helpline (1947).

This change aims to make Tatkal ticket booking easier and safer for genuine travelers.

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