Since last year, we have been speculating about making Aadhaar card a mandatory requirement for booking train tickets. IRCTC had been giving us hints, but no formal announcement was made.
Now, it seems that the decks have been cleared for making Aadhaar Card as a necessity for booking train tickets, albeit only for online bookings as of now.
As per Press Trust of India, a Railway official has confirmed this development, as he shared that a special software is being created for the same.
Aadhaar Based Rail Tickets: How Will It Happen?
Thankfully, Indian Railways have done their homework for linking Aadhaar cards with rail ticket bookings. We had speculated earlier that railways will soon ask for Aadhaar card every time a ticket would be booked, causing unnecessary delays.
But that is not the case now.
As per PTI report, Aadhaar card would be made mandatory to link with the IRCTC’s website, where tickets are being booked. This shall be a one-time registration.
Whenever a ticket is booked using a particular Aadhaar-linked IRCTC account, the ticket would be automatically linked with the Aadhaar card.
During ticket checking, this same Aadhaar card would be checked against the ticket, thereby confirming the authenticity,
Why Aadhaar Based Rail Tickets?
As per reports coming in, Indian Railways wants to flush out unauthorised agents and touts, who form a cartel, and book advance tickets using online and offline mode. These agents then contact passengers who are in urgent need of tickets and sell them these pre-booked tickets at exorbitant rates.
Once every online ticket is linked with Aadhaar card, then carrying on such ticketing scams would be a thing of past, as every ticket has to be linked with one unique Aadhaar card.
A high-ranking railway official said, “Aadhaar number will be required for one-time registration at the IRCTC ticketing site. The step is aimed at eliminating touts from registering with fake identities,”
If we talk about Aadhaar card and railway tickets, then a pilot project will start from April 1st, wherein all senior citizens are required to provide their Aadhaar cards for getting senior citizen’s discounts on rail tickets. The success of this pilot project will then determine the feasibility of Aadhaar linked rail tickets for all the mediums, both online and offline.
Besides, Indian Railways will install 6000+ PoS machines across all railway booking counters for cashless ticket bookings, and 1000 automatic ticketing machines as well.
We will keep you updated as more details come in..
It seems like a good approach to kill black market of railway tickets. However, it ignores foreign tourists that India should not forget. How would they buy railway tickets without Adhaar card?
another one step to finish corruption in india by modi government. to add adhar number in booking of irctc tickets. this will help to stop black marketing of railway tickets. hats off to modi government. Adhar should be made necessary in journey also. this should be checked by TC.