New Rules On Track: Fare Hike & New Tatkal Rules Reform From July 1
New Rules On Track: Fare Hike & New Tatkal Rules Reform From July 1
Digital Desk: From July 1, the Indian Railway is rolling out two big changes that will impact millions of passengers. The Indian Railways has announced that there will be a fare hike, and the Tatkal booking system will get a security upgrade.
According to official sources, the increase would vary by travel class and route, excluding suburban train services and ordinary second-class travel up to 500 kilometers, providing relief to everyday commuters and budget passengers.
The revised pricing system includes no increase in suburban train rates or Monthly Season Ticket (MST) costs:
The standard second-class fee for journeys up to 500 km stays unchanged.
Ordinary second-class travel beyond 500 km will cost an additional 0.5 paise each kilometer.
Non-AC Mail/Express trains would face a 1 paise per kilometer increase.
All AC classes will have a 2 paise per kilometer rise.
This measured tariff revision is expected to produce substantial revenue for infrastructure and service improvements without burdening short-distance or frequent passengers.
According to the new rule, only people with verified Aadhaar identities will be able to book Tatkal tickets via the IRCTC website and mobile app. In addition, Aadhaar-based OTP verification would be introduced beginning July 15 to strengthen the policy.
IRCTC-authorised agents have been restricted from booking Tatkal tickets during the crucial first 30 minutes of the booking window:
AC Tatkal bookings: Agents are not permitted from 10:00 am to 10:30 am.
Non-AC Tatkal bookings: Agents are not permitted from 11:00 to 11:30 a.m.
The Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) is responsible for updating the booking platform to reflect these changes and ensure compliance across all railway zones.
