Mobile charging in trains to be switched off from 11 PM to 5 AM

Important news has emerged for passengers traveling on Indian Railways. Now, mobile phone and laptop charging facilities will not be available during train journeys between 11:00 PM and 5:00 AM. Keeping passenger safety in mind, the Railway Board has issued strict directives to all zonal railways to mandatorily switch off mobile phone charging points in train coaches during this period.

According to reports from Amar Ujala and ABP Asmita, this decision has been taken to ensure the safety of passengers. The Railway Board has instructed strict implementation of this order and has clarified that no relaxation will be given under any circumstances. This rule will apply to all types of coaches, including sleeper, 3-AC, 2-AC, and 1-AC, affecting all passengers on mail, express, and superfast trains.

The main reason for the Railway Board reissuing this order is a recent incident in the South East Railway (SER). According to Hindustan Times and other reports, charging points were not switched off during the designated hours in the South East Railway, which caused a passenger's power bank to explode and emit smoke. This incident caused panic among passengers, although no major injuries were reported. Following this accident, the Railway Board mentioned this matter in its letter dated 26 October and asked all zonal railways to strictly follow these instructions.

According to a report by TV9 Gujarati, the railway administration wants to prevent incidents like fires and overheating. Passengers often plug their mobile phones, laptops, or power banks into charging points late at night and go to sleep. This can cause devices to overcharge and overheat. If sparking or overheating occurs in a device at night, passengers may not notice it immediately because they are asleep, which could lead to a major disaster. Faulty charging devices, battery heating, or electrical issues can pose a major risk to safety.

Interestingly, this is not the first time the railways have taken such measures. According to the Hindustan Times, the Railway Board had issued an order in this regard on 19 June, 2014 as well. At that time, on the recommendation of the Commissioner of Railway Safety, this arrangement was suggested following a fire in an AC 3-tier coach of the Hazur Sahib Nanded-KSR Bengaluru Express in 2013. The 2014 letter advised keeping charging points switched off in AC coaches from 11 PM to 5 AM and also instructed to put up stickers to inform passengers. Subsequently, in March 2021, the railways again emphasized the strict implementation of these rules.

In November 2023, a fire incident also occurred in a sleeper class coach of the New Delhi-Darbhanga Humsafar Clone Special. After this incident, the Commissioner of Railway Safety recommended keeping sleeper class charging points switched off as well. However, according to previous reports, this arrangement was in place in AC coaches, but it was difficult to implement in sleeper coaches due to the high cost of appointing staff. Recently, the South East Central Railway (SECR) also noted that keeping charging points in AC coaches continuously switched on at night in the Nagpur division is a violation of the Railway Board's order and increases the risk of fire as well as the possibility of mobile theft.

The Railway Board has now also instructed to provide necessary training and counseling to staff for the implementation of these rules. Officials and supervisors have been asked to conduct surprise inspections on trains to see if the order is being followed. Railway Protection Force and electrical department teams will also monitor this matter. Some officials believe that focus should be on charging power banks, but the main objective of the railways is to reduce the risk of fire or electrical accidents in coaches during the night.

Passengers have been advised to fully charge their mobile phones and other electronic devices before starting their journey. Do not rely on charging points after 11 PM. If passengers notice that their charging device is becoming unusually hot, emitting smoke, or there is a burning smell, they should immediately stop using it and inform the train staff at once.

Meanwhile, services on the South Central Railway's route towards Visakhapatnam were disrupted due to Cyclone Arnab, which is now improving. Services like the Godavari Express and Visakha Express have resumed, although some connecting trains have been cancelled or rescheduled.