Railways New Rule: Aadhaar Mandatory for Online Ticket Booking in First 15 Minutes from Oct 1

New Delhi: Come October 1, only Aadhaar-linked IRCTC accounts will be able to book passenger tickets during the first 15 minutes of the reservation window. The new rule is an expansion of an existing mandate that was limited to booking Tatkal rail tickets only.

In an official statement, the Ministry of Railways said, “This step aims to ensure that the benefits of the reservation system reach the common end user and are not misused by unscrupulous elements." The statement added that the new rule applied exclusively to online bookings through the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) website and its mobile app.

However, the existing schedule for booking general reserved tickets at computersised Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters of the Indian Railways remains unchanged. "There shall, however, be no change in the timings of booking of general reserved tickets through computerised PRS counters of Indian Railways at present," the statement said.

Also, the existing restriction preventing authorised ticketing agents from booking tickets during the first 10 minutes of opening day reservations will continue. "There shall also be no change in the timings of restriction of 10 minutes of opening of general reservation during which authorised ticketing agents of Indian railways shall not be allowed to book opening day reserved tickets," the Railways statement added.

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The new rule comes within months of Indian Railways making Aadhaar authentication mandatory for tatkal ticket booking effective July 1.

Starting from July 1, 2025, all Tatkal ticket bookings require passengers to authenticate their identity using Aadhaar. This measure is also aimed at ensuring that the benefits of the Tatkal scheme reach the common public.

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