Train passengers often face problems like tickets getting sold out within seconds or payment failures during Tatkal bookings.
A major reason behind this is the misuse of the system by fraudsters using fake IDs and bots to book tickets instantly.
In a major move, the Railway Ministry and IRCTC have blocked 2.5 crore fake user IDs.
These fake accounts were being used by scammers, many linked to agents or ticketing software, to book tickets in bulk as soon as booking opened. This made it difficult for regular users to get tickets.
With these fake IDs now blocked, only verified and genuine users can book train tickets, making the process fairer and more accessible.
Verified Users to Get Priority in Ticket Booking
Following this action, the Railway Ministry announced that the online ticketing system is being upgraded to make it more secure and user-friendly.
From now on, only users who have completed Aadhaar verification will be able to book Tatkal, Premium Tatkal, or Advance Reservation Period (ARP) tickets immediately. Those without Aadhaar verification will have to wait three days after registration to book these tickets.
Rise in Online Activity and Bookings
As per recent data, the number of people logging into the ticketing system daily has gone up from 69.08 lakh in 2023–24 to 82.57 lakh in 2024–25, showing a 19.53% increase.
Similarly, daily ticket bookings have risen by 11.85%. Now, 86.38% of all reserved train tickets are being booked online.
Faster Website, Better Security
To improve speed and reduce server load, 87% of the website’s static content is now delivered through a CDN (Content Delivery Network). This makes the website load faster for users.
An AI-powered system has also been introduced, which detects and blocks bot traffic instantly.
Users showing suspicious activity are being monitored and deactivated if needed.
Additionally, passengers now have the option to report issues through the cybercrime portal.
