IRCTC Strengthens Passenger Services with Major Anti-Fraud Measures and AI-Driven Hygiene Monitoring
- MGMMTeam
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has undertaken significant initiatives to make train travel more transparent, fair, and safe for millions of passengers across the country. By combining advanced technology with robust monitoring systems, IRCTC is addressing long-standing challenges in online ticketing and onboard catering services.
Comprehensive Crackdown on Ticketing Fraud
IRCTC has taken decisive steps to curb fraudulent activities in the ticket booking system. The corporation has deactivated more than three crore suspicious user accounts while placing an additional six crore IDs under verification to confirm their authenticity. This massive exercise brings nearly nine crore accounts under scrutiny.
In parallel, IRCTC blocked over 13,343 suspicious email domains during the year and registered 501 complaints involving 4.18 lakh suspicious Passenger Name Records (PNRs) on the National Cyber Crime Portal. These actions primarily target bulk bookings by agents, bots, and unauthorised operators, especially during high-demand periods such as Tatkal and Advance Reservation bookings.
The move is expected to provide genuine passengers with better access to confirmed tickets, reducing the frustration often caused by artificial scarcity created through automated and fraudulent bookings. Despite these stringent checks, IRCTC has continued to achieve impressive operational performance, recording high volumes of legitimate daily ticket bookings in the financial year 2025-26.
AI-Powered Surveillance for Superior Food Hygiene
On the catering front, IRCTC has significantly scaled up its use of artificial intelligence to maintain the highest standards of food safety and hygiene. More than 800 kitchens across India are now under round-the-clock monitoring through 2,394 AI-enabled cameras linked to a central war room in New Delhi.
The intelligent system is capable of identifying nine key categories of hygiene-related issues in real time. These include non-compliance with head caps or hairnets, proper use of transparent gloves, regular mopping and surface cleaning, and the presence of any pests such as rodents, flies, or cockroaches. The AI technology is remarkably sensitive, detecting objects as small as 7-8 millimetres — roughly the size of an ant.
Whenever a violation is detected, an immediate alert is sent to the concerned kitchen manager. If the issue is not resolved promptly, the matter escalates, leading to necessary action against the staff involved, often within two hours. Officials have noted that failure to wear head caps remains one of the most frequently reported violations. This proactive approach helps maintain consistent quality, especially given the challenge of varying seasonal conditions that can affect food preparation.
During the financial year 2025-26, IRCTC served nearly 60 crore meals, demonstrating the vast scale of its operations and the importance of such technological interventions.
A Forward-Looking Approach to Passenger Experience
These initiatives reflect IRCTC’s commitment to leveraging technology for better service delivery. By securing the digital booking ecosystem and enhancing food safety standards, the organisation aims to build greater trust and satisfaction among passengers. As the system continues to evolve, further expansion of AI surveillance is planned in line with the growth of IRCTC’s catering network.
The MGMM Outlook
IRCTC’s latest initiatives highlight a strong commitment to improving transparency and efficiency across India’s railway network. The large-scale crackdown on fraudulent ticket bookings, including the deactivation and verification of millions of suspicious accounts, is a significant step toward ensuring that genuine passengers have fair access to tickets. By targeting bots, unauthorized agents, and bulk booking practices, IRCTC is addressing one of the most persistent concerns faced by railway travelers, particularly during high-demand booking periods.
At the same time, the expansion of AI-powered hygiene monitoring across hundreds of railway kitchens demonstrates how technology can enhance service quality on a massive scale. Real-time surveillance, automated alerts, and strict compliance checks help maintain food safety standards while supporting accountability among catering staff. Considering the enormous volume of meals served every year, these measures have the potential to improve passenger confidence and contribute to a more reliable, safe, and customer-focused travel experience.
(Sources: Moneycontrol, Hindustan Times, Business Standard)
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