Indian Railways Enhances Ticket Booking Security and Efficiency
The Indian Railways is stepping up its game in the realm of ticket booking by enhancing its online reservation system with cutting-edge cybersecurity measures and performance improvements. As part of these upgrades, the railway network has deactivated approximately 3.02 crore suspicious user accounts since January 2025, ensuring a safer and more reliable booking experience for genuine passengers.
To maintain a smooth booking process, Indian Railways has implemented anti-bot solutions such as AKAMAI, which effectively filter out non-genuine users. This initiative aims to protect the integrity of the booking system, allowing legitimate travelers to secure their tickets without hindrance. Additionally, in a bid to ensure fairness in tatkal ticket availability, Aadhaar-based One-Time Password (OTP) verification has been introduced for online bookings. As of December 4, 2025, this verification process is already operational for 322 trains, leading to a 65% increase in confirmed tatkal ticket availability on those routes.
Strengthening Cybersecurity Measures
Moreover, the Aadhaar-based OTP for tatkal bookings at railway counters has also been implemented in phases, now active for 211 trains. The cumulative result of these robust measures has led to improved ticket availability in 95% of the 96 most popular trains.
The Indian Railways is not taking cybersecurity lightly; reports of suspiciously booked PNRs have been escalated through the National Cyber Crime Portal. The system is fortified with multiple protective layers, including network firewalls, intrusion prevention systems, and web application firewalls. Each aspect of the system is housed in a secure data center featuring CCTV surveillance and end-to-end encryption, certified under ISO 27001 standards for Information Security Management.
Ongoing Audits and Public Feedback
To bolster its cybersecurity posture further, RailTel Corporation of India Ltd. provides extensive cyber threat intelligence services. These services encompass threat monitoring, deep web surveillance, and proactive incident response strategies, which are essential in today’s digital age.
Additionally, regular audits of the reservation system are conducted byCERT-In-empanelled security agencies. Internet traffic related to the ticketing system is under constant watch by CERT-In and the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) to preempt potential cyber threats.
The Indian Railways also actively collects feedback from the public, rail users, and various organizations. While there is no centralized repository for these suggestions, the railway authorities continuously review and act upon the proposals deemed feasible and necessary.
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