New Delhi: Indian Railways has cancelled more than 3.02 crore suspicious login IDs after uncovering a widespread train ticket booking scam that allowed unauthorised agents and automated bots to buy Tatkal tickets in bulk and sell them at higher prices. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed Parliament that the accounts were removed as part of a large scale campaign to clean up the online ticketing system and make booking fair for passengers.
According to officials the fake accounts were being used to secure tickets within seconds of the booking window opening. Many of these IDs were linked to automated tools that bypassed normal security checks. To stop this misuse the Railways introduced Aadhaar based OTP verification for Tatkal bookings both online and at reservation counters. This new step aims to ensure that only genuine passengers can make fast track bookings.
The Railways also deployed anti bot technology to block automated booking software. Cyber security measures including firewalls network intrusion checks and website protection tools have been strengthened. Suspicious booking data and passenger details linked to illegal activities have been forwarded to the National Cyber Crime Portal for further investigation.
Officials said the massive cancellation of IDs has already improved the chances of genuine travellers securing Tatkal tickets. The Railways will continue to audit and recheck existing accounts to remove any remaining non genuine users.
The crackdown follows earlier actions this year when more than two crore fake IDs were deactivated during a similar investigation. Authorities say the continued tightening of security will help restore trust in the online booking system and ensure tickets reach the right hands.