A social media post that has gone viral claims that according to the new IRCTC ticket booking rules only blood relatives are allowed to book tickets. The post, which has been widely shared and has received around 50,000 views says that those booking the tickets will need to have the same surname, and individuals violation this rule may have to pay a fine irrespective of even go to jail. The message being circulated reads as follows:
New Rule: Section 143 of the Railway Act
- Blood Relation IRCTC Ticket Booking: You can only book tickets for your blood relatives through your personal IRCTC account. The surname must match as per the account details.
- Tickets for Friends/Others: Booking tickets for friends or others through your personal ID is prohibited. Violating this rule can result in jail time or a fine.
- Authorized Agents: Only officially authorized agents are allowed to make bookings for third parties.
Is there Any Truth Behind New Rules For IRCTC Ticket Booking?
The Indian Government has been quick to flag this post as misleading and has issued a clarification on the matter. “It is being claimed in social media posts that as per new rules IRCTC ticket booking, individuals can only book railway tickets for blood relatives or those with the same surname. This claim is misleading,” PIB Fact Check has stated.
The Government fact check handle has also stated the following two rules regarding booking of tickets:
- Tickets on personal User ID can be booked for friends, family, and relatives.
- Tickets booked on personal User IDs are not meant for commercial sale and such an act is an offence under section 143 of Railways Act 1989.
How Many People Use IRCTC to Book Tickets?
IRCTC is one of the most preferred platforms by travellers to book tickets as well check the status of trains. According to statistics issued by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation, the average Mobile App bookings during 2023-24 were 6.35 Lakh tickets per day, as compared to 5.60 Lakh tickets in 2022-23. 13.70% of IRCTC e-Tickets have been booked through IRCTC Rail Connect Mobile App during FY 2023-24. On 1 March 2024, at 11:02 AM, the IRCTC e-ticketing platform reached its second-highest record for per-minute bookings with 26,672 tickets. Additionally, on 8 February 2024, at 10:01 AM, the platform achieved its third-highest per-minute booking record, with 25,712 tickets booked.
