Tatkal Ticket Rules: Booking Tatkal Tickets? Beware! New Rules Could Lead to Jail and Fine, Ticket Will Be Cancelled
Tatkal Ticket Rules: To bring transparency to the Tatkal ticket booking system and curb the dominance of touts, the Ministry of Railways has issued a set of new and strict guidelines. For those who travel regularly by train and rely on Tatkal tickets at the last minute, knowing these rules is crucial. This new move by the Railways has brought significant changes to the ticket booking process, where even a minor mistake could land passengers in major legal trouble.
Strict Warning of Jail and Fine
According to the new Railway rules, if any person attempts to book Tatkal tickets through unfair means or by violating the norms, they will face severe consequences. Under Section 143 of the Railway Act 1989, such offenses can lead to both imprisonment and fines. Furthermore, tickets booked through suspicious methods will undergo ‘Automatic Cancellation’. The PNR number of the cancelled ticket will be directly sent to the Cyber Crime Department for further investigation.
Surveillance via Verification Calls
The Railways is now maintaining special surveillance during ‘Peak Hours’ of Tatkal booking. Passengers booking tickets between 10:00 AM to 10:15 AM (for AC) and 11:00 AM to 11:15 AM (for Non-AC) may receive a verification call from the Railways. During this call, the User ID, PNR number, mobile number, and passenger’s personal details will be verified. If any incorrect or misleading information is found during the conversation, the e-ticket will be immediately cancelled, and legal action will be taken against that User ID.
Restrictions on Personal User IDs
Many people use their personal User IDs to book tickets for others, which is completely illegal. According to Railway rules, a personal ID can only be used to book tickets for the following individuals:
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- For family members.
- For blood relatives.
- For close friends.
Please remember, booking a ticket using a personal ID and selling it to someone else is a punishable offense. Only authorized travel agents are permitted to book tickets for commercial purposes.
Aadhaar OTP Verification
To stop black marketing and prevent ticket booking via illegal software, the Railways has made Aadhaar OTP verification mandatory for over 300 special trains. While booking Tatkal tickets for these trains, an OTP will be sent to the mobile number linked with the Aadhaar card associated with the IRCTC account. The payment gateway will only open, and the ticket will be confirmed once that OTP is submitted correctly. Therefore, ensuring your mobile and Aadhaar linkage is active has now become mandatory before booking tickets.
Rail passengers are advised to avoid using any unfair means or third-party apps, follow the correct rules while booking tickets, and steer clear of legal hassles.
