Railway strengthens Tatkal booking with Aadhaar verification and OTP authentication
Indian Railways
Ferozepur: In order to ensure that the benefits of Tatkal train tickets are accessible to the common man,
Indian Railways
has introduced several new measures by modifying the Tatkal Scheme.
According to railway authorities, Aadhaar authentication has now been made mandatory for booking Tatkal e-tickets for individual users.
For Tatkal bookings at railway counters or windows, passengers or their representatives must provide a mobile number and an OTP.
Only after successful verification of the mobile number and OTP will the Tatkal ticket be generated.
In a significant step, the first 30 minutes of Tatkal ticket booking will be reserved exclusively for individual online users and passengers booking at the PRS counters at stations. Travel agents and authorized agencies will only be able to book tickets after this period—at 10:30 am for AC classes and 11:30 am for Non-AC classes.
For non-Aadhaar users, Tatkal ticket booking can still be done at PRS counters and through authorized travel agents. From July 1, 2025, Tatkal e-ticket bookings on the IRCTC app will be permitted only for Aadhaar-verified accounts. The provision of OTP for Aadhaar authentication will be implemented by July 15, 2025, ensuring that bots or other software tools cannot book tickets faster than genuine users.
Similarly, for window ticket bookings, passengers must provide a mobile number for OTP verification. This requirement will also take effect from July 15, further safeguarding the booking process for the general public.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Railway limits waiting list tickets bookings
Prayagraj: In a major step aimed at improving passenger convenience and curbing overcrowding in trains, the Indian Railways (IR) has decided to limit the issuance of waiting list (WL) tickets. As per the newly introduced system, only up to 25% of the total available berths in each coach category of a train will be allowed for waiting list bookings. This regulation will apply uniformly across all categories, including sleeper class, AC three tier, AC two tier, AC first class, chair car and executive chair car. For instance, in a train with 200 berths, only 50 waiting list tickets will now be issued, ensuring that overcrowding in reserved coaches is significantly reduced. According to the Railways, the primary aim of this change is to enhance the travel experience of passengers with confirmed tickets by preventing congestion in reserved compartments. So far, trains with high demand, such as the Prayagraj Express, Shramik Shakti Express, and Brahmaputra Mail, often have waiting lists exceeding 100 on regular days and even soaring past 400 during festivals. This leads to a situation where many passengers with unconfirmed tickets would board the trains, causing inconvenience to others and straining onboard services. Importantly, the cap will not apply to seats earmarked for specific categories such as senior citizens, women, differently-abled passengers (Divyangjans), and foreign tourists. These categories will continue to enjoy the current reservation flexibility. Senior PRO at North Central Railway (NCR), Amit Malviya, confirmed that the Railway Board issued official guidelines regarding the implementation of the new rule to all zonal railway divisions, including the North Central Railway. tnn
The Hindu
14 hours ago
- The Hindu
Pocket-friendly Kerala food in New Delhi's first Kudumbashree cafe
In the vicinity of India Gate, Cafe Kudumbashree gives the city's Malayalis a feel of being at home with its Kerala cuisine. Thankfully, the weather has been pleasant the past few days but even in the unsettling blaze you cannot miss people sipping hot chai with pazhampori (banana fritters). Kudumbashree, a project launched by the Government of Kerala in 1998 for poverty eradication and women empowerment, translates to prosperity of the family. Amidst food stalls of different states on Amar Jawan Jyoti Road, Cafe Kudumbashree tells its own story of women's empowerment, financial independence and authentic Kerala cuisine. The menu is a simple mix of Kerala's popular snacks and meals, all prepared fresh daily. For breakfast, there is a variety of dosas to choose from; puttu (steamed rice cake) and porotta paired with chicken, fish or kadala (chickpea) curry are staple breakfast items served here from 10 am. Oonu or Kerala meals include matta rice, sambar or moru curry, a yoghurt-based curry tempered with spices, and either thoran, a popular vegetable dish, or spicy fish curry. All served on a hot bed of rice and priced ₹80 is the lunch and dinner favourite. The outlet, which many people still do not know about, is gradually gaining popularity with the city's Malayali community comprising mostly working professionals, students and daily wagers who work in the nearby India Gate complex. Even the non-Malayali population is frequenting the place. 'The menu is limited but the food is tasty and budget-friendly; I have started coming regularly,' says Sameer, who works inside the India Gate Complex. Despite restrictions on usage of gas on the premises, the staff manages to whip up flavourful meals on induction and electric stoves. The cafe has also faced water shortage on certain days and was forced to shut down on those days. 'It is a loss for us, but we are helpless. We feel happy that people like the food we prepare for them,' says Lissy Paulose, who runs the cafe with Asheeba VT, both from Wayanad, and Abdullah MTF from Kasargod. Entrepreneurs are identified from Kudumbashree units to run the cafes. Lissy and Asheeba have been part of Kudumbashree for eight years 'Back home, we took orders from bakeries and food enterprises, and sold snacks, cakes and other savouries from our home. Now being part of the cafe initiative in a different state is a good experience; we get to learn about a new culture and gain a new perspective on business,' says Asheeba, mother of a three-year-old whom she has left behind in Wayanad. 'This exposure will prepare me for future,' she says. Cafe Kudumbashree, near Gate No 2, India Gate, inside the amenity block in the subway, is open on all days from 10am to 9pm. Meal for two costs ₹200 for vegetarian and ₹250 for non-vegetarian.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Reserved auto services begin at city airport with new rules
Patna: Reserved autorickshaw services officially began operating from Patna's Jayprakash Narayan International Airport on Friday. The pick-up and drop-off facilities are now available at the airport's multi-parking area. Until now, autorickshaws were not permitted to enter the airport premises. Under the new arrangement, drivers may enter through the old gate, drop off passengers at the designated multi-parking zone and exit through the same gate. The service is regulated with a set of new rules – all drivers must follow a prescribed dress code, carry ID cards verified by their association and have their full details recorded with both the association and airport authorities. The service was inaugurated by Rajkumar Jha, general secretary of the All India Road Transport Workers Federation (Bihar), who highlighted the need for evolving with the times. "Drivers serving airport routes will receive English language training to better assist foreign travellers and non-Hindi speaking passengers from other states. A prepaid booth will be set up soon. Until then, drivers will carry placards to attract passengers," he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Abingdon: If You Were Born Between 1945-1974 You Could Be Eligible For This British Seniors Read More Undo Pappu Yadav, president of the Patna District Autorickshaw Drivers' Association, expressed thanks to the airport director for understanding the drivers' needs and allowing operations from the parking area. "This is a major step in enhancing airport transport facilities while ensuring passenger safety and convenience," he said. The event was attended by several association members and officials, including Mohammad, Mumtaz, Manish Kumar, Pradeep Kumar and parking contractor representative Ram Sundar Prasad Singh, also known as Bauwa Ji.
