Use of Aadhaar in railway ticket booking

Digital ID is used to verify a passenger’s identity during railway ticket booking, particularly for Tatkal or last-minute reservations, and to add passengers to traveler master lists. Introduced in 2016, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) implemented Aadhaar-based authentication for railway ticket bookings in collaboration with the UIDAI. This prevents ticket touting, reduces fraudulent bookings, and ensures genuine passengers receive reservations. Aadhaar OTP-based authentication became mandatory for Tatkal ticket bookings, a quota that allows last-minute reservations from one day before the journey date, and was highly susceptible to automated bulk bookings by touts.

Passengers who book Tatkal tickets must provide their Aadhaar number and authenticate using a one-time password (OTP) sent to their Aadhaar-registered mobile number. This ensures only verified individuals can make such bookings. Additionally, passengers can add frequently traveled companions to their IRCTC master list by providing their Aadhaar numbers. This enables faster future bookings with pre-verified passenger details. During ticket checking on trains, traveling ticket examiners (TTEs) verify passenger identity by matching travel documents with government-issued IDs, which include Aadhaar. The Aadhaar integration addresses the chronic problem of ticket black marketing, where touts use automated software to bulk-book Tatkal tickets and resell them at inflated prices, which deprived genuine passengers. After implementation, the Indian Railways reported a significant reduction in touting activities.