IRCTC Introduces OTP-Based System For Opening Tickets To Curb Touts, Mandates Aadhaar Verification For Advance Bookings

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has introduced a new system to prevent touts from illegally profiting from railway opening tickets and to make them more accessible to ordinary passengers.

Under the new system, passengers will now need to enter their Aadhaar number when booking opening tickets, available for 60-day reservations. After entering the Aadhaar number, an OTP will be sent, which must be entered to generate the ticket. The OTP remains valid for 30 minutes, ensuring passengers are not inconvenienced even with weak network connections.

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This move follows the successful implementation of a similar system for Tatkal bookings. IRCTC officials confirmed that the new OTP-based system is now active on all IRCTC platforms from Sunday.

The decision comes after reports that touts were misusing multiple Aadhaar cards to secure opening tickets illegally. Following media coverage, including a report in Dainik Jagran, IRCTC took prompt action to implement this new verification process.

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Passengers can now conveniently book opening tickets from home through the IRCTC website, with enhanced security to prevent misuse.