More than three crore fake user accounts have been removed from the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) portal as part of a nationwide crackdown on ticket touting and online booking fraud, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
Addressing concerns about overcrowding in long-distance trains, the minister said the move aims to ensure genuine passengers have fair access to tickets. He added that nearly 78 per cent of seats in Indian trains fall under non-AC categories and around 70 per cent of coaches are general or sleeper class, highlighting the government’s focus on affordable travel.
To manage rising passenger demand, the Railways has operated more than 75,000 special trains so far in the current financial year. Vaishnaw also noted that enhanced safety measures have helped reduce consequential train accidents by about 90 per cent.
Ticket Touting Crackdown On IRCTC
Responding to questions from Members of Parliament during Question Hour, Vaishnaw said the removal of over three crore fake accounts was part of a broader digital clean-up to curb ticket hoarding and black-market sales. According to the minister, fraudulent accounts and automated bots have long been used by touts to bulk-book tickets within seconds of release and resell them at higher prices. By identifying and deactivating suspicious user IDs, the Railways aims to restore fairness in the reservation process and ensure that genuine travellers have a better chance of securing seats.
Officials said the action followed the detection of widespread misuse of the e-ticketing platform. In 2025 alone, about 3.03 crore suspicious user IDs were deactivated as part of a large-scale system audit and fraud crackdown. Authorities also blocked billions of automated bot requests that attempted to manipulate ticket bookings and filed hundreds of complaints on the National Cyber Crime Portal regarding suspicious transactions.
To further tighten the system, the Railways introduced Aadhaar-based authentication and additional cybersecurity checks for certain bookings. These measures include OTP verification and stricter monitoring of Tatkal reservations, which are often targeted by touts due to their high demand and limited availability. Officials say such steps are intended to make the booking process more transparent while protecting the integrity of the digital reservation system.
Managing Overcrowding And Passenger Demand
The minister’s remarks came after several MPs raised concerns about overcrowding in long-distance trains and the availability of affordable travel options. Vaishnaw acknowledged that demand for train travel continues to grow rapidly, particularly during festivals and peak travel seasons. To address this, Indian Railways has been operating additional services and expanding capacity.
According to the minister, more than 75,000 special trains have already been operated during the current financial year to manage seasonal travel surges and accommodate extra passengers. He also pointed out that the Railways continues to prioritise affordability for the majority of travellers.
Around 70 per cent of coaches in trains are general and sleeper class, while nearly 78 per cent of seats are in non-AC categories, reflecting the system’s focus on providing low-cost travel options for millions of passengers who depend on trains as their primary mode of transport.
The government has also emphasised improvements in railway safety and operational systems. Vaishnaw said that due to increased investments in safety infrastructure, monitoring technologies, and stricter operational protocols, consequential railway accidents have declined by nearly 90 per cent in recent years. While officials attribute this to modernisation efforts and better oversight, experts say continued investment and transparent monitoring remain essential to sustaining these improvements.
During the same parliamentary session, the Lok Sabha also paid tributes to former members Visnu Modi and Datta Meghe, who passed away earlier this month. Members of the House, along with Speaker Om Birla, observed a moment of silence to honour the departed leaders. Before taking up the obituary references, Birla also urged MPs to review the day’s agenda before entering the House, after some disruptions caused by slogan-shouting in the chamber.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
India’s railway network is one of the largest and busiest in the world, carrying millions of passengers every day. For many people, especially those from low- and middle-income backgrounds, trains remain the most affordable and accessible mode of long-distance travel.
However, the issue also highlights broader challenges within the railway network, including overcrowding, limited seat availability during peak seasons, and uneven passenger experiences across classes. While measures like running special trains and improving cybersecurity systems are positive developments, long-term solutions will require sustained investment in infrastructure, additional train capacity, better crowd management, and improved passenger services.
