IRCTC blocks 2.5 crore fake users using AI, sets new ticket booking record
Indian Railways has upgraded its ticketing system with AI to tackle bots and fake users. The move has already resulted in a record 31,814 tickets booked in one minute and deactivation of 2.5 crore suspicious user IDs. The new system improves fairness, speed, and transparency in Tatkal bookings.
New Delhi:
The digital upgrade was quietly rolled out via IRCTC and has already shown results. On May 22, 2025, the ticketing system clocked a record-breaking 31,814 bookings in a single minute, proving the new tech’s scale and reliability.
 In a major push for cleaner digital infrastructure, Indian Railways has rolled out an AI-powered bot mitigation system to fight back against unfair ticket bookings. The result: over 2.5 crore fake or suspicious user IDs have been deactivated. This move comes amid rising complaints from passengers struggling to book Tatkal tickets due to agent-controlled bots. How the AI system is cleaning up ticketing
During the first five minutes of Tatkal bookings, nearly half the traffic came from bots, often linked to agents. The new system detects such traffic in real-time and blocks it before it disrupts access for genuine users.
According to the data shared by PIB Delhi, this bot-filtering upgrade is paired with a leading Content Delivery Network (CDN) to improve page load times. About 87 percent of static content now loads faster, reducing strain on core servers.
The system doesn’t just stop bots. It also flags accounts with suspicious patterns and pushes them out. As a result, IRCTC has blocked around 2.5 crore user IDs over bot-like activity.
Traffic is up, ticketing is smoother
The changes seem to be working. Daily average logins jumped to 82.57 lakh in FY 2024–25, up from 69.08 lakh the previous year. Daily ticket bookings also grew by nearly 12 percent in the same period. E-ticketing now makes up 86.38 percent of all reserved bookings.
Indian Railways has said it will continue improving the system and keep modernizing how tickets are booked. Users can also report suspicious activity through the Cyber Crime Portal.
With bots out of the way, at least for now, genuine users may finally get a fair shot at booking that 10:00 am Tatkal ticket before it vanishes in seconds.
Aadhaar check for quicker ticket access
New ticketing rules have been introduced to add another layer of fairness. Those who link their Aadhaar with IRCTC can book Tatkal or Premium Tatkal tickets immediately. Others have to wait three days after registration before they can access those booking windows.
This helps reduce the misuse of newly created fake accounts. And it gives verified users a better chance at getting tickets during peak demand.
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