Tatkal Ticket Reservation New Rule: In a move aimed at making Tatkal ticket bookings more transparent and passenger-friendly, Western Railway has announced significant changes to the existing system in line with directives issued by the Railway Board. Under the revised process, Tatkal tickets will now be issued only after successful authentication through a system-generated One-Time Password (OTP).
During the booking process, an OTP will be sent to the mobile number entered by the passenger. The ticket will be confirmed only after the OTP is correctly verified, ensuring that the booking is being made by a genuine user and not misused through automated or unauthorised methods.
According to a press release issued by Western Railway’s Chief Public Relations Officer, Vineet Abhishek, the OTP-based verification system has already been implemented on 21 trains originating from the Western Railway zone. From December 24, 2025, the facility will be extended to four more trains — Badli–Sitamarhi Express (14072), Bandra–Vadodara Express (19037), Ahmedabad–Saharsa Express (19483) and Muzaffarpur–Mumbai Terminus Express (22956).
Railway officials said the initiative is expected to curb illegal bulk bookings by agents and middlemen, a long-standing concern among passengers. By introducing OTP authentication on the IRCTC website and mobile application, the Tatkal booking process is set to become more transparent and fair.
The primary objective of the new system is to ensure that Tatkal tickets are available to genuine passengers who need them urgently, while also improving ease of access and trust in the online booking mechanism.
The move assumes significance amid widespread criticism of the Railways, as ordinary passengers often struggle to secure Tatkal tickets, while brokers, middlemen and scammers reportedly use automated software and bots to corner bookings on high-demand routes within seconds. Earlier measures such as Aadhaar-based registration and booking have failed to effectively curb the activities of Tatkal ticketing mafias.
