IRCTC Tatkal Tickets Now Require Aadhaar OTP Verification—How It Works

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation’s tatkal ticket booking mechanism now mandatorily requires an Aadhaar-generated one-time password (OTP), making the hurly-burly process more streamlined and more accessible to the public. According to Indian Railways, OTP verification will prevent misuse of the platform to book more tickets than capped on one account, also keeping ticket booking agents and touts at bay.

How will Aadhaar OTP work?

While booking a tatkal ticket, the window for which is 10 am for AC class and 11 am for non-AC class, you will be required to link your Aadhaar account to your IRCTC account. An OTP will be sent to the mobile number registered with your Aadhaar number for authentication, after which you can proceed with the booking process.

— Visit the official IRCTC website in a browser or download the RailOne app on your Android or iOS device.
— Go to the ‘Profile’ tab and click the ‘Link Aadhaar’ option from the dropdown menu.
— You will be required to enter your full name per your Aadhaar details, followed by the 12-digit Aadhaar number.
— Check the box next to it and click the “Update” button to proceed. Doing so will generate an OTP and open a pop-up window where you can enter the code for successful verification. The OTP will be sent to your registered mobile number.

After you have successfully linked your Aadhaar account to your IRCTC account and verified your details, you can move ahead with Tatkal booking. The first thirty minutes of the two-hour window are reserved exclusively for individual users, preventing IRCTC agents from reserving train seats.

In addition to online bookings, the Aadhaar authentication will also be compulsory for offline tickets at PRS (Passenger Reservation System) counters and through authorised agents. In such cases, you will be required to provide the intermediary with your Aadhaar details to receive a Tatkal ticket.

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