A major digital cleanup effort by Indian Railways has removed 3.02 crore fake and suspicious user IDs that were being used to make fraudulent bookings. The move, which has been in place since January 2025, is aimed at stopping black marketing and reducing the role of ticketing middlemen.
The Ministry of Railways said the removal of these accounts has helped curb bot driven ticket hoarding and fake reservations. Officials added that genuine passengers are now getting better access to Tatkal tickets without interference from agents.
The Railways has also introduced an advanced anti bot system to protect Tatkal bookings from misuse. This system verifies real human users and blocks automated programs that previously grabbed seats within seconds. It uses real time user checks and CAPTCHA based authentication to prevent unauthorized access. Officials noted improved transparency and a rise in ticket availability for genuine users after the system was put in place.
Another major reform is the mandatory Aadhaar based OTP verification for online Tatkal bookings in 322 trains. The same verification process has also been implemented at reservation counters for 211 trains. Passengers now receive a One Time Password on their Aadhaar linked mobile number to confirm their identity before completing the booking. According to officials, this step prevents duplicate reservations and strengthens overall security.
Following these changes, the Railway Ministry said passengers now have up to a 95 percent better chance of getting a Tatkal ticket. Data from 96 popular trains shows a clear improvement in availability. Earlier, Tatkal tickets used to sell out within seconds, but with the anti bot measures, the booking window remains open longer and gives passengers a fair chance to book directly through IRCTC.
Officials explained that these reforms are creating a system that is more user friendly, transparent, and secure. The crackdown also provides a permanent check on black marketing and ticket scams. Touts and agents earlier used fake IDs and automated scripts to hoard tickets and sell them at higher prices. With new verification systems in place, such practices have been nearly eliminated.
Indian Railways is also working on AI powered tracking tools and behaviour analytics to identify suspicious booking patterns in real time. This will further strengthen digital safety. The ministry said this initiative is part of a broader reform plan that will soon include complete digital audit trails for bookings, cancellations, and refunds. Passengers have been advised to use only the official IRCTC website or app for ticket bookings.
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