e-Aadhaar authentication to become mandatory to book tatkal tickets: Rail Minister Vaishnaw

An e-Aadhar authentication is soon to become mandatory to book tatkal tickets on Indian Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Union Minister of Railways, said in a post on X. “This will help genuine users get confirmed tickets during need,” the minister added in his post.

The minister’s announcement comes close on the heels of the publication of a survey report by citizen engagement platform LocalCircles. The findings of the survey showed that seven out of 10 people found it difficult to book tatkal tickets on the IRCTC platform in the last 12 months. The respondents also complained that all the tickets available for tatkal within the first minute of the booking window opening. Despite making payments quickly, most people ended up waitlisted.

The survey also revealed that over 30% of the surveyed travellers said they believed that they best way to get a tatkal ticket is through a travel agent, a strong indicator that a growing perception that third-party intermediaries are better positioned to navigate the otherwise difficult booking process, defeating the purpose of the system.

The Tatkal Reservation Scheme was introduced in 1997 to help passengers with urgent, unexpected travel plans by giving them access to an equitable, fast, and transparent ticketing system. Initially introduced in around 110 trains, and limited mainly to Sleeper Class, the Tatkal scheme underwent a major revision in 2004.

However, complaints suggest the experience is far from that. Several passengers reported on social media that the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) website or app frequently crashes during Tatkal bookings, or that payments are deducted without confirmation. Some questioned whether automated bots and agents are able to game the system, disadvantaging the average user.

Such concerns are not new. In 2015, a similar outcry led to a Ministry of Railways probe that found agents and some railway staff were blocking seats under fake names and later changing the details. That loophole was eventually closed. Yet, many users believe such practices may have re-emerged in different forms.

Indian Railways has seen significant revenue from Tatkal and Premium Tatkal fares, earning over ₹13,700 crore from these ticket categories between 2018-19 and 2022-23. Premium fares now often cost up to three times the standard price, particularly on popular routes, further raising questions about accessibility and fairness.