Patna: Indian Railways has introduced a new artificial intelligence system to monitor online ticket bookings and prevent misuse of the platform. The system has been activated by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) on its website and mobile app. Under the new rules, user IDs can be blocked for 24 hours if the system detects unusual or suspicious activity during ticket booking.
Railway officials said the main aim of the move is to stop touts and automated software that book tickets within seconds, especially during Tatkal hours. For years, many passengers have complained that confirmed tickets disappear almost instantly after bookings open. According to a senior official from the Railway Board, the new AI system studies typing speed, login patterns and the overall behaviour of users while they are booking tickets.
If a user logs in and out repeatedly — more than five times within 30 minutes — the account may be flagged. Similarly, if too many booking attempts are made from the same ID in a short time, the system may consider it suspicious. In such cases, the user ID can be temporarily blocked for 24 hours. The system also checks whether the IP address and the registered mobile number are from roughly the same region. If there is a mismatch, the transaction may be stopped midway.
The software is designed to detect activity that appears impossible for a human. For example, if the names, ages and gender details of five passengers are entered in less than 4.2 seconds, the system will raise an alert. Officials say it is not possible for a person to enter so much information so quickly without the help of a bot or automated tool. Accounts showing such behaviour may face temporary suspension or additional verification steps.
Railway authorities believe that this strict monitoring will make the booking process fairer for common passengers. They claim that by blocking illegal software and agents, the chances of getting confirmed tickets could improve significantly. However, officials have assured users that there is no need to panic. Passengers who book tickets normally and do not use unauthorised tools will not face any problems. Travellers have been advised to use only official IRCTC platforms and follow the rules while booking tickets online.
