The largest and reliable platform of train ticket booking in India is IRCTC. If you want to book a train ticket online, then you must have a valid IRCTC ID. But now careful! IRCTC has recently taken a major step and has closed around 2.5 crore suspects or fake user accounts. This strict action has been taken to prevent scams in Tatkal ticket booking systems between January to May 2025, to grab tickets by bots and prevent disturbances of ticket agents. If you are wondering whether your account is safe or not, let’s know how to check it and if the account is closed, how to turn it on.

Why was such a big action?
IRCTC took this step because there were huge disturbances in Tatkal ticket booking. Many times common people tried for hours to book tickets, but bots and illegal agents used to grab tickets in advance. This was not only causing trouble to the passengers, but the railway system was also being affected. IRCTC targeted accounts that were involved in suspicious activities to deal with this problem. These included fake names, misinformation or use of several accounts by the same person.

Whether your account is closed or not, check like this
If you book tickets regularly through IRCTC, first of all make sure that your account is active. For this, login on the official website or app of IRCTC. If you are not able to login, your account may be suspended. You can check the status of your account by calling IRCTC’s helpline number 139 or via customer care email. Also, you can also find information on the IRCTC website using “Forgot Password” or “Account Status” option.

How to turn off the closed account again?
If your account is closed, there is no need to panic. IRCTC has initiated a process for account re-activation. First of all, you will have to visit the IRCTC website with your valid ID proof (eg Aadhaar card, PAN card or voter ID) and appeal to the “Reactivate Account” section. Next, IRCTC will verify your details and if everything is found to be correct, your account may be turned on again. But note, if your account is closed for fake activities, it may be difficult to restart it.

What to do so that the account is safe in future?
IRCTC has advised that users should give the correct information to keep their account safe and update the password regularly. Do not use several accounts from the same device and avoid clicking on suspicious links. Also, always use the official IRCTC app or website for Tatkal ticket booking. This will keep your account safe and there will be no problem in ticket booking.

Now is the time to be vigilant!
This step of IRCTC will definitely make the ticket booking system more transparent, but passengers will also have to be careful. If you are a regular passenger, check the position of your account immediately and make sure your IRCTC ID is active. Do not delay, because without a valid account you will not be able to book tickets online!