Indian Railways has implemented an unprecedented rule for IRCTC ticket booking. Starting October 1, 2025, Aadhaar-based OTP verification will be mandatory when booking General Reservation Tickets. This means that if your IRCTC account isn’t linked to Aadhaar, booking tickets within the first 15 minutes will be extremely difficult. This raises several questions: Will tickets be unbookable without Aadhaar? Will there be problems getting confirmed tickets? Let’s understand this revolutionary rule in detail.
Why did IRCTC implement this new rule
According to the Railway Ministry, the primary purpose of this change is to prevent fraudulent bookings by agents and bookings made through bots. This means that the ticket booking process will now be completely secure and transparent, benefiting ordinary travelers the most.
How to perform Aadhaar verification for train ticket booking
The Aadhaar verification process for train ticket booking is extremely simple, but mandatory:
- First, link your IRCTC account with Aadhaar.
- When booking a ticket, you will receive an OTP (one-time password) on your registered mobile number.
- Your ticket booking will be confirmed only after entering the OTP.
What if your mobile number is not linked to Aadhaar
IRCTC’s new rule clarifies that Aadhaar-based OTP verification is mandatory for general reservation ticket bookings. If your mobile number is not linked to Aadhaar, you will not receive an OTP, and your ticket booking will not be successful.
Will train tickets be booked without Aadhaar
The new rule ensures that booking a confirmed ticket within the first 15 minutes will only be possible for those whose account is linked to Aadhaar. Those booking tickets over the counter will also require an Aadhaar number and OTP. The Railways has not yet announced any other method for booking tickets without Aadhaar. This move will help passengers in need of confirmed tickets.
Regular rules have also become stricter for registered ticket agents. They will not be able to process bookings for the first 10 minutes. Even after this, agents will be required to provide the passenger’s Aadhaar number and OTP.
Where to contact in case of ticket booking problems
If you don’t receive an OTP or encounter problems with Aadhaar linking, there’s no need to worry:
You can call the IRCTC helpline 139 for assistance.
You can also seek assistance at the ticket counter at your nearest railway station.
For Aadhaar-related issues, you can contact the UIDAI helpline 1947.
What benefits will the new IRCTC rule bring
This visionary decision by the Railways will provide the following unprecedented benefits to ordinary passengers:
Waiting lists will be reduced.
Tickets will be confirmed faster.
Bookings will be completely secure and will be free from fraudulent bookings.
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