Indian Railways' reforms: addressing symptoms, not the root problem

From 1 July, Indian Railways will enforce a sweeping set of reforms aimed at curbing fraud and streamlining the Tatkal ticket booking system. These changes — anchored in Aadhaar-based authentication, OTP verification, and a temporary embargo on agent bookings — are being positioned as a digital remedy to long-standing booking woes.

Yet, despite the optics of progress, critics argue that these measures merely scratch the surface of a much deeper crisis: the chronic mismatch between demand and capacity in India’s rail network.

Under the new regime, Aadhaar authentication becomes mandatory for all online Tatkal bookings. From 15 July, an additional OTP-based verification step will also be required for bookings made at passenger reservation system (PRS) counters and by authorised agents.

This is coupled with a ban on agent bookings during the first 30 minutes of the Tatkal window — 10 to 10.30 am for AC classes, and 11 to 11.30 am for non-AC categories.

To support these reforms, Indian Railways has upgraded its reservation infrastructure, to introduce artificial intelligence-powered anti-bot systems and expanding its booking capacity to better handle peak-time traffic. These technical reinforcements are aimed at thwarting automated scalping tools that have long undermined the fairness of Tatkal bookings.

Despite these steps, a LocalCircles survey cited by Newsmeter in a report published on 3 June found that 70 per cent of passengers still see Tatkal tickets vanish within seconds of the window opening. Nearly 30 per cent admitted to relying on agents to secure seats — despite years of reforms intended to phase out this dependence.

🔹New Passenger Reservation System Capable of generating over 1.5 lakh rail tickets per minute, i.e. about five times the current capacity of 32000 tickets in a minute, to be ready by year end

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The findings reinforce what passengers have long known: the problem is not just digital manipulation, but a deeply entrenched scarcity of tickets. The Tatkal scheme, originally introduced in 1997 to offer last-minute travel convenience, has instead become a bottlenecked battlefield — where even tech-savvy users struggle, and those without digital access are effectively shut out.

Railway observers warn that the new reforms, while well-intentioned, do not touch the root issue: the limited number of seats available each day. Alok Kumar, a prominent voice on railway policy, recently shared his frustration over his RAC (reservation against cancellation) ticket status — despite booking more than three months in advance. He blamed skewed quota allocations that favour Tatkal and VIP categories, further squeezing the availability of general seats.

Kumar’s concerns underscore a broader disconnect. While identity verification and AI security tools might ensure that only real people can book real tickets, they cannot increase the number of berths. The reforms may make ticket booking more secure — but not more successful — for the average traveller.

Another concern is whether these digital-first reforms could inadvertently exclude less tech-literate or under-connected passengers. Requiring an Aadhaar-linked mobile number for OTP verification assumes that every traveller has seamless access to digital infrastructure. This risks alienating senior citizens, rural residents, and those who still depend on offline booking methods or human intermediaries.

A spectacular failure called Indian Railways.Unreserved and Non AC. compartments are less. And reservations are virtually impossible except for an occasional Taktal. Now it is becoming expensive....

— Amalorpavanathan Joseph (@AmalJos95950131) June 25, 2025

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Meanwhile, enforcement details around the 30-minute agent embargo remain vague. Without clear penalties or transparent monitoring mechanisms, there’s a risk that agents will continue to exploit informal channels — eroding trust in the very system these reforms aim to strengthen.

The Indian Railways deserves credit for recognising the need to modernise its booking systems and clamp down on abuse. The crackdown on fake IRCTC accounts, the use of AI tools to block bots, and the attempt to prioritise genuine users during critical windows are all necessary and overdue interventions.

However, these efforts remain reactive. They address how tickets are booked — but not how many are available, or who gets priority. Without expanding train services, revisiting quota allocations, and investing in systemic infrastructure upgrades, Indian Railways risks offering passengers a more secure queue — but still no seat at the end of it.

In essence, the current reforms offer a digital bandage on a structural wound. For millions of passengers desperate for timely, reliable travel options, the challenge is not just booking faster but of being assured that enough seats exist to begin with.