IRCTC debunks reports about restrictions in booking of e-tickets for relatives, friends

There have been several reports of IRCTC restricting booking of e-tickets with different surnames. If you book train tickets for your friends or relatives with different surnames, you could end up in jail, the reports said.

However, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has finally debunked the reports and called is false and misleading. 

Through a statement, IRCTC said, “The news in circulation on social media about restrictions in booking of e-tickets due to different surnames is false and misleading. The concern should be discouraged from spreading such false news.”

“It is clarified that tickets from IRCTC site are being booked as per Railway Board Guidelines and required information is available on the public domain as under,” the statement added.

1. One can book tickets on personal User ID for friends, family and relatives.
2. Booking can be done for up to 12 tickets per month which in case of Aadhaar-authentic users can go up to 24 tickets per month, if one of the passengers on a ticket is also Aadhaar authenticated.
3. Tickets booked on personal User IDs are not meant for commercial sale and such an act is an offense under section 143 of Railways Act 1989.   

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Earlier, there were reports that individuals can only book tickets for blood relations or those with the same surname, using personal ID. Booking for friends or others could lead to a huge fine of Rs 10,000 or a jail term of up to 3 years or both.