Tatkal Ticket Fraud: Indian Railways Blocks 77 Lakh Accounts to Tackle Bot-Driven Tatkal Booking

In a major step towards enhancing transparency and fairness in ticket bookings, Indian Railways has blocked 77,00,000 user accounts used for bot-driven Tatkal ticket fraud. The measures aim to restore booking efficiency and protect genuine users. 

Mass Blocking Targets Automated Tatkal Disruption 

Between February and October 2025, Indian Railways conducted its largest digital clean-up, deleting 77,00,000 accounts suspected of exploiting Tatkal booking systems with automated bots.  

These bots were designed to bypass human timing restrictions and capture tickets within seconds, especially on 100 high-demand routes. In October alone, over 10.57 billion fake access attempts were intercepted, indicating the scale of the menace faced by the Indian Railways’ ticketing ecosystem. 

New Anti-Bot Framework and Security Enhancements 

Railways introduced a multi-layered defence including time gates, dynamic CAPTCHA, and sequencing steps before payment. Any automated input before 35 seconds of the window opening is now instantly rejected. This framework has significantly reduced manipulation, stabilising the system during peak Tatkal hours. 

Read More: India and Nepal Sign Deal to Strengthen Rail Trade Connectivity! 

IP Reputation and Aadhaar Linking Fortify User Verification 

A global IP scoring system now blocks suspicious addresses linked to illegal activity. Behavioural anomalies such as abnormal access speeds or server stress attempts are filtered early. In parallel, Aadhaar authentication has surged, with over 2 crore users linking their IDs by October 2025, helping prevent fake accounts and repeated fraudulent bookings. 

New RailOne App Fortified Against Reverse Engineering 

Railways' RailOne mobile app has been shielded with advanced tools that block reverse engineering and backend manipulation. Alongside, a consistent audit regime allows officials to rapidly deactivate accounts showing suspicious behaviour across login patterns and booking frequency. 

Conclusion 

Indian Railways’ crackdown on 77,00,000 bot-linked accounts marks a significant shift towards a safer and more equitable booking experience. This cleanup effort has improved booking transparency and ensured better resource allocation for genuine passengers. 

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