Aadhaar Link Railways: Under this, IRCTC users will be required to link their Aadhaar card. If they fail to do so, under the new rules, starting January 12th, the first day of train ticket booking, they will be unable to book train tickets between 8 AM and 12 PM. IRCTC has implemented these rules in several phases. The first phase was implemented on December 29th. The second phase began on January 5th, and the third phase will be implemented on January 12th.
Currently, users whose Aadhaar is not linked to their account will not be able to book tickets between 8 AM and 4 PM. Please note that reserved ticket booking opens 60 days in advance, and the new rule will only apply on the first day reserved train ticket booking opens.
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Why was Aadhaar made mandatory?
IRCTC has made it mandatory to link your account with Aadhaar. During booking, an OTP will be sent to your registered mobile number, and the ticket will be booked only after entering this OTP. This process will make fraud difficult. This rule will apply to all railway zones in India. Whether it’s from Delhi to Mumbai or Chennai, Aadhaar authentication is now required for both online and counter bookings on all routes.
Users whose accounts are not linked to Aadhaar will not be able to book tickets during the first four hours (when the window opens). Bookings will be restricted for 12 hours on January 12th. They will only be able to book after that. Currently, no other options are available.
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How to link?
Log in to the IRCTC app or website. Go to the ‘My Profile’ section, select the ‘Aadhaar KYC’ option, and update your details. For booking or OTP-related issues, call the IRCTC helpline (139). For Aadhaar-related issues, contact the UIDAI number (1947). You can also get help from the counter at your nearest railway station.