A recent survey has shown that many passengers are facing serious issues while booking Tatkal tickets on Indian Railways. In most cases, tickets are booked within seconds of the Tatkal window opening, leaving genuine passengers on the waiting list and unable to travel.
In fact, 7 out of 10 people said they had trouble booking Tatkal tickets online in the past year. To address this, the Railway Board is introducing new rules. Starting July 1, only users with Aadhaar-verified accounts will be allowed to book Tatkal tickets through the IRCTC website and app.
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From July 15, Aadhaar-based OTP (one-time password) verification will also be mandatory for booking. Additionally, once the Tatkal window opens, tickets will not be available for 30 minutes to prevent misuse and ensure fair access. Tatkal tickets can still be booked at PRS counters and through authorised agents, but OTP verification will be required. These changes aim to make the system more transparent and ensure that real passengers, not bots or touts, benefit from the Tatkal facility.