In a major digital overhaul aimed at restoring fairness in its ticketing system, Indian Railways – via its online arm IRCTC – has deployed artificial intelligence (AI) and machine-learning‑based bot detection technology. This strategic move targets rampant ticket fraud, particularly unauthorized automated bookings by agents exploiting the system using throwaway email IDs and bots. The upshot: more genuine passengers now have a fair shot at securing confirmed tickets.
AI Crackdown on Fake Accounts
Over the past year, IRCTC has blocked a staggering 3.5 crore (35 million) suspicious user accounts. These accounts, largely created using disposable email addresses and temporary mobile numbers, were being used by unauthorized booking agents to flood the platform with booking attempts.
According to IRCTC officials, these agents would spin up dozens of bogus profiles — sometimes as many as 30 — to place simultaneous booking requests. Such tactics crowded out real users and made it harder for them to get confirmed bookings. The AI system now flags and neutralizes these fake profiles in real-time.
Impact on System Performance
The results have been tangible. Daily new account creations on IRCTC have dropped dramatically from around 60,000–65,000 to just 10,000–12,000, reflecting the success of the AI enforcement. Moreover, over 7,000 disposable email domains have been blocked in recent months alone.
Fairness in Tatkal Booking
Tatkal ticketing, which opens a day in advance and often sees intense competition, has been particularly vulnerable to abuse. Reports suggest that up to 50% of login attempts during Tatkal hours were coming from automated bots.
To counter this, Indian Railways has introduced Aadhaar-based OTP verification for Tatkal bookings. In addition, new user protocols now mandate that only Aadhaar-verified accounts are allowed to book Tatkal tickets without delay. These changes significantly reduce the leverage of unauthorized agents and bots.
Infrastructure Boost: Speed and Security
Along with AI detection, IRCTC has partnered with a leading Content Delivery Network (CDN) to improve site speed and resilience during high-demand periods. Static content delivery via CDN now covers about 87% of pages, lowering server strain and reducing the vulnerability window for bot attacks.
The system also uses multi‑layered security measures: suspicious IP addresses are screened, and an IP reputation scoring mechanism rejects potentially malicious or automated traffic. Notably, the system refuses attempts that occur faster than a human plausibly could — for instance, rejecting form submissions made in under 35 seconds.
Record‑Breaking Booking and Transparency Gains
These reforms have coincided with new milestones. On May 22, 2025, IRCTC recorded 31,814 ticket bookings in a single minute, marking a new national record. At the same time, daily logins have risen by 19–20%, and ticket bookings have increased by nearly 12%, year-on-year.
IRCTC’s anti-fraud team continues to actively deactivate suspicious accounts, while users are encouraged to report dubious activity through a Cyber Crime Portal.
Indian Railways’ deployment of AI and machine-learning-based bot detection represents a decisive and technologically sophisticated response to systemic ticket fraud. By blocking millions of fake accounts, enforcing Aadhaar-linked authentication, and upgrading infrastructure for better performance, the IRCTC is leveling the playing field for genuine travelers. While technology alone cannot eliminate all booking abuse, this digital overhaul is a critical step toward greater transparency, fairness, and trust in India’s railway ticketing ecosystem. Passengers can now look forward to a more secure and equitable way to secure train travel, even during the most competitive booking windows.
