Indian Railways has introduced a major change in passenger ticket booking. From October 1, 2025, whenever general ticket booking opens, only Aadhaar-authenticated users will be allowed to book tickets through the IRCTC website or app for the first 15 minutes.
Earlier, this rule was applied only to Tatkal bookings, but now it will also apply to general reservations.
Purpose of the Rule
According to the Railway Board, this step will:
Make the booking process more transparent.
Reduce the misuse of tickets by middlemen or agents.
Give ordinary passengers a fairer chance to get seats in the initial minutes of booking.
How Will the Rule Work?
For example, if a passenger wants to book a ticket on the Shiv Ganga Express from New Delhi to Varanasi for November 15, the booking window will open on September 16 at 12:20 am.
From 12:20 am to 12:35 am, only Aadhaar-authenticated users can book tickets.
Users without Aadhaar authentication will not be able to book during this critical 15-minute window, which is usually the busiest period.
Impact During Festivals and Wedding Season
During festivals like Diwali, Chhath Puja, and Holi, as well as the wedding season, the demand for train tickets is very high.
Booking usually opens 60 days in advance, and passengers face intense competition to get confirmed tickets, similar to Tatkal booking rush.
The new Aadhaar-based rule is expected to make the booking process more transparent and reduce fraudulent bookings during these peak periods.
