Indian Railways mandates Aadhaar authentication for first-day ARP online bookings to prevent ticket hoarding and ensure fair reservations.

On January 12, Indian Railways implemented a new limitation on online ticket bookings that restricts access to Aadhaar-authenticated IRCTC users exclusively on the first day of the Advance Reservation Period (ARP). On the first day that reservations open for a train, travelers whose IRCTC accounts are not connected and validated with Aadhaar would no longer be able to purchase general reserved tickets online under the new system. Travelers who hurry to reserve tickets as soon as booking windows open are anticipated to be impacted by the move, especially for high-demand long-distance routes.

What Passengers Can Expect

The ARP is the time frame when train tickets go on sale for prepurchase. Seats for well-traveled routes frequently sell out within minutes on the first day, which is typically the busiest.

Only Aadhaar-authenticated IRCTC users will be able to make online reservations for general reserved tickets on the first day of ARP via the IRCTC website or mobile app, under the new regulation. Exclusive access will be granted to certain verified users from 8 a.m. to midnight on that particular day.

During this initial period, online reservations will not be available to passengers who do not have Aadhaar authentication. The next day, they will be able to purchase tickets online, contingent on available seats.

Unchanged Tatkal and Offline Reservations

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The limitation only affects online reservations for general reserved tickets on the first ARP day, according to railway authorities.

Reservations at PRS counters at train stations can be made using legitimate identity documents and will proceed as usual. Tatkal reservations, on the other hand, were previously limited to customers who had obtained an Aadhaar authentication, therefore the new method does not impose any new requirements on Tatkal.

The Reasons Behind Railways’ Action

Railway authorities claim that the change is intended to stop agents and automated tools from abusing the internet booking system, which frequently corner tickets as soon as bookings open.

In addition to making the system less susceptible to manipulation, Aadhaar-based verification is meant to guarantee that legitimate travelers are given precedence during busy booking times.

What Travelers Must Do

To prevent disruptions, travelers who regularly purchase tickets on the day of ARP’s opening are encouraged to link and validate their Aadhaar with their IRCTC account. Others can still make reservations online starting on the second day, however there might not be as many seats available on popular trains.