Tatkal ticket booking: Major changes are set to be introduced in the Tatkal ticket booking from July 1 2025 as the Indian Railways aims to ease the process of providing confirmed Tatkal train tickets to common citizens while also making it more transparent to prevent misuse of the facility by booking agents and third-party ticket vendors. Aadhaar-based required for Tatkal ticket booking According to the Indian Railways Aadhaar-based OTP verification will be mandatory for booking Tatkal tickets from July 1 and this rule will apply to online booking reservation counters and bookings done through agents. Passengers who wish to book Tatkal tickets on the IRCTC website or mobile app will be required to verify their IRCTC user profile using Aadhaar-based OTP verification the railways said adding that this would increase the chances of getting a confirmed Tatkal ticket by up to 100 percent. Furthermore an additional security layer will be implemented from July 15 where Aadhaar-based OTP verification will be mandatory to complete a Tatkal ticket booking. Passengers will be required to enter the OTP received on their Aadhaar-linked mobile number to complete the booking process according to the Indian Railways. The new rule will be applicable to both AC and non-AC coaches and will ensure that only genuine passengers can avail Tatkal ticket services they said. Agents barred from booking Tatkal tickets during first 30 minutes Additionally the revamped rules which come into effect from July 1 2025 imposes restrictions on IRCTC-authorized agents who will not be allowed to book tickets in the first 30 minutes of the Tatkal booking window which opens at 10:00 am for AC coaches and 11:00 am for non-AC coaches. As per the new rules the first 30 minutes will be reserved for passengers with Aadhaar-verified IRCTC profiles providing them with a better chance at booking tickets in emergency situations. Waiting list passengers will know ticket status 24 hours before journey The new rules will bring a drastic change to age old norm for passengers on the waiting list having to wait till the day of their travel to find out whether their tickets are confirmed. Under the current process the reservation chart is prepared about two-and-a-half to four hours before departure time means passengers have to wait till the last minute for their seats to be confirmed. However under the new rules passengers will know whether they have a confirmed ticket or not 24 hours in advance.