IRCTC Steps made Tatkal Ticket Booking Trouble-Free

IRCTC implemented Steps to Streamline Tatkal Ticket Booking for Rail Passengers


Tatkal ticket scheme is to meet urgent travel requirements of rail passengers who plan their journey at short notice. Tatkal ticket scheme was introduced for convenience of train travelers. But recent reports reveals it that the Tatkal scheme is being misused by a certain section of the public. So to stop misuse of Tatkal scheme urgent steps were felt necessary.


Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), a PSU of Ministry of Railways which manages Railways e-ticketing website namely www.irctc.co.in has implemented additional steps to streamline Tatkal ticket bookings. These steps taken by IRCTC will ensure delivery of Tatkal train tickets to the needy travelers likely to travel on urgent need.

Steps taken by IRCTC to streamline tatkal ticket booking

Online Tatkal Booking : Common Problems Following steps have been implemented by IRCTC, the online ticket booking website, to make trouble-free Tatkal tickets booking for rail travelers:
High capacity Database servers have been installed.
Internet Bandwidth has been increased from 344 mbps to 450 mbps
Single user registration on one e-mail ID with email verification has been implemented.
Mobile validation of users and single user registration on one mobile number has been implemented.
Web service agents have been permitted to book only one Tatkal ticket per train per day on internet after 12:00 hours
Individual users are permitted to book only two tickets between 10:00 hours to 12:00 hours
Only two tickets can be booked per IP address between 10-12 AM. IP address check has helped in preventing multiple bookings from same office complex / internet cafe etc. This also helps in facilitating bookings by genuine users and prevents bookings for commercial gains.
Single session per user ID check has been implemented. With this step, a user on irctc.co.in will be able to open his account for booking of e-tickets only once. Multiple sessions with single user ID cannot be opened thereby enabling maximum users to access website and reduce congestion.
Captcha has been put and strengthened for booking in the ‘Plan My Travel’ to check fraudulent booking through automation software. (CAPTCHAs is a technology used in attempts to prevent automated software from performing actions which degrade the quality of service of a given system)
Quick Book Option and Cash Cards option has been stopped between 10:00 hours to 12:00 hours
An IT-Anti Fraud Squad has been created at Internet Ticketing Centre to detect cases of fraud and fraudulent activity and also for constant cyberspace surveillance to detect possible threats to the system.
Upon receipt of complaint against the sub-agent, the user–id is deactivated and the sub-agent is black-listed. The details of the black-listed agent are put on the IRCTC website. All the Principal Agents have been instructed not to take on such black-listed agents.
For any complaint, against the e-ticket agents, one may contact agentcomplaint@irctc.co.in (011-23745962) or care@irctc.co.in (011-39340000)
The Ministry of Railways has also initiated steps to augment e-ticket handling capacity of its website through short term and long term measures. Both IRCTC and CRIS are working jointly in this direction. Due to these steps, the present e-ticket capacity will increase from existing about 3.5 lakh bookings to around 5 lakh bookings per day in about four months period in the short term which will further be increased to about 8 lakh bookings per day in the long term plan.
Implementing the above steps by IRCTC it is assumed that rail passengers can avail problem-free Tatkal ticket booking.

So you must be aware of these new rules while you book Tatkal rail ticket and do share your comments, views, suggestions on accessing IRCTC initiatives for making tatkal booking easier for passengers.