Aadhaar Verification to Become Mandatory for Online Train Ticket Bookings from January 12
The Indian Railways has announced a new procedure for booking train tickets online, which will come into effect from January 12. Under the revised system, only users whose Aadhaar details have been verified will be allowed to book tickets on the day booking opens.
While Aadhaar authentication was already mandatory for Tatkal ticket bookings, the new rule will now apply to regular ticket bookings as well. The Railways stated that Aadhaar linking has been introduced to prevent fraudulent activities and curb the practice of middlemen booking tickets in bulk.
According to Railway officials, the new procedure will be implemented in a phased manner starting from December 29. The objective is to ensure that only genuine passengers are able to secure tickets when reservations open.
The Railways clarified that passengers booking tickets at physical ticket counters can continue to obtain tickets by producing any valid identity proof, and Aadhaar is not compulsory for counter bookings.
To reduce irregularities in online bookings, Aadhaar linking has already been made mandatory for booking tickets on the IRCTC website between 8 AM and 10 AM. The Railway Board has now extended and strengthened this procedure to improve transparency and fairness in ticket reservations.
