New Delhi: Indian Railways has moved closer to making Tatkal reservations more transparent and user-friendly by expanding its OTP-based verification system for counter bookings. The initiative, which began as a pilot on November 17, has now been extended to 52 trains and will be rolled out across all remaining trains in the coming days.
The system requires passengers booking Tatkal tickets at physical counters to verify their mobile number through an OTP received on the number provided in the reservation form. A ticket is issued only after the OTP is successfully entered, ensuring that bookings reflect genuine passenger details and reducing opportunities for misuse.
This upgrade follows two earlier reforms aimed at improving the reservation experience. In July 2025, Railways introduced Aadhaar-based authentication for online Tatkal bookings. In October, an OTP-based booking process was implemented for all general reservations on the first day of booking. Both changes have been widely accepted by users and have strengthened transparency in ticketing.
Railway officials said the OTP-based Tatkal process will help prevent fraudulent bookings and make high-demand tickets more accessible to genuine travellers.
Alongside these reforms, Railways is preparing for a major shift in its reservation workflow by moving chart preparation to eight hours before train departure. The current four-hour window often leaves passengers unsure of their final status, especially those travelling from distant or suburban areas. The revised system, cleared by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, will be rolled out in phases and is expected to give passengers earlier clarity on waitlisted tickets and more time to plan alternative travel if needed.
