Daijiworld Media Network – Hubballi

Hubballi, Feb 23: The South Western Railway (SWR) has taken stringent measures to curb irregularities in online railway ticket bookings and ensure genuine passengers receive fair access. Dr. Manjunath Kanamadi, chief public relations officer of SWR, provided comprehensive details on the new safeguards.

In 2025, the railway department launched a large-scale operation to prevent interface misuse. Around 3.03 crore suspicious user IDs were permanently deactivated, while 4.86 crore IDs underwent re-verification. Additionally, 12,819 dubious email domains were blocked to thwart fraudulent activities.

New booking rules to ensure fairness

To prevent agents from hoarding tickets and to protect genuine passengers, the following measures have been implemented:

• Aadhaar verification: Priority is now given to Aadhaar-verified users for both advance reservations (ARP) and Tatkal ticket bookings.
• Cybersecurity measures: Reports have been lodged with the National Cyber Crime Portal concerning 3.99 lac suspicious PNRs, which are under investigation.
• Advanced technology: IRCTC has deployed a Content Delivery Network (CDN) to reduce server load and speed up response times. Furthermore, cutting-edge anti-bot technology has been introduced to prevent automated ticket bookings, significantly enhancing login and booking efficiency.

Transparency and accessibility

“The primary goal of these improvements is to make ticket bookings transparent and equitable,” officials said.

With Aadhaar-based verification, fraudulent accounts have been minimised, allowing genuine travellers easier access to both Tatkal and regular tickets.

Passengers are advised to familiarise themselves with these new guidelines before booking tickets online to avoid disappointment and ensure a smooth booking experience.