The Railways has clarified that passengers travelling with digital unreserved tickets booked through the RailOne app must produce the original ticket on the same mobile phone used to make the booking during ticket inspections.
According to the updated rule, copies shared through WhatsApp, screenshots, photographs or PDF versions of the ticket will not be accepted as valid travel authorisation.
The Railways said the digital unreserved ticket will be considered valid only if it remains on the registered handset from which it was issued, Mint reported.
Passengers must also book their unreserved ticket before the train departs from the boarding station. Any ticket purchased after the train has left will be treated as invalid.
The clarification was shared by the South East Central Railway through its official X account.
The post said, "An unreserved ticket booked through the RailOne App is considered valid only on the same registered mobile from which the ticket was issued. It is also mandatory to carry a photo identity card along with the said mobile during the journey. Tickets received via WhatsApp, screenshot, or other means are not considered valid travel authorisation."
The post was accompanied by a video explaining the revised requirements.
The Railways issued the clarification after a passenger was recently fined for producing a WhatsApp screenshot instead of the original digital ticket during a ticket inspection.
The announcement sparked widespread discussion on social media, with several users questioning how the rule would work for elderly passengers and those who rely on family members or friends to book tickets on their behalf.
Many said the requirement could create practical difficulties in cases where the person booking the ticket is not travelling.
One user wrote, "I book online tickets for my family. The tickets are valid, and I have the ID. What else is needed now? This is just thuggery."
Another commented, "Make rules in such a way that everyone can use them. Elderly people and many others don't know how to use apps like RailOne or UTS. Do you even think about them? This isn't a proper system; it's just a mess."
A third user wrote, "I book tickets for my entire family, and most of the time I don't travel with them. What am I supposed to do now-give them my mobile phone as well?"
