The Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has dismissed false claims regarding restrictions on e-ticket bookings. In a recent statement, IRCTC clarified that reports suggesting limitations on booking tickets for passengers with different surnames are entirely baseless.

According to IRCTC, users can book tickets on their personal IDs for friends, family, and relatives without any surname-related constraints. They emphasized that ticket bookings adhere strictly to the guidelines set by the Railway Board, which are openly accessible to the public.

IRCTC further explained that users are allowed to book tickets for up to 12 individuals per month. For Aadhaar-authenticated users, this limit extends to 24 tickets provided at least one passenger on each ticket is also Aadhaar-authenticated.

It was reiterated that using personal user IDs for commercial purposes is strictly prohibited under Section 143 of the Railways Act, 1989, and can result in legal consequences. Only authorised agents are permitted to book tickets for commercial activities.

These clarifications were issued in response to rumours suggesting severe penalties, including jail time or fines, for booking tickets for non-relatives or individuals with different surnames using personal IDs. IRCTC affirmed that these rumours are unfounded, emphasizing that Section 143 of the Railways Act primarily targets unauthorized ticketing practices, not personal bookings.

Indian Railways has not introduced any new rules restricting ticket bookings under such circumstances.