IRCTC Tatkal Rule Worries Travelers

While some passengers welcomed the move, believing it could improve the chances of getting confirmed tickets, others expressed concern over technical hurdles. “Not everyone will be able to book now. It will help genuine travellers,” said a regular commuter.

However, many fear the Aadhaar-linking process could slow down or disrupt bookings. “The IRCTC site itself does not function properly. During Aadhaar linking, it lags in the final moments of booking. Time is wasted, money is debited and tickets don’t get booked,” another traveller said.

Travel agents across the country echoed these concerns. “So many issues are there in updating the Aadhaar card. Updating Aadhaar is extremely slow. Even after applying, there’s no response for 15 days sometimes. What happens in emergencies? What about those who have to travel at short notice?” one agent questioned. Another agent pointed out the urban-rural gap in digital literacy. “What about passengers in rural areas? Many do not have the technical skills to complete all this online,” he said.

In another significant move, agents will be barred from making Tatkal bookings during the first 30 minutes of the booking window—between 10 and 10.30 am for AC classes and between 11 and 11.30 am for non-AC classes.

Railway officials said the restriction is aimed at curbing bulk bookings and ensuring transparency. IRCTC and the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) have been directed to upgrade their systems. Passengers have been advised to link their Aadhaar with their IRCTC accounts at the earliest.