Railways orders night shutdown of train charging points

NEW DELHI The Railway Board has directed all railway zones to strictly follow its 2014 order requiring mobile phone and laptop charging points in train coaches to remain switched off between 11 pm and 5 am. The measure aims to reduce fire risks and improve passenger safety during overnight journeys. In a letter dated October 26, the board referred to a recent incident in the South Eastern Railway zone, where onboard staff failed to switch off charging points during the restricted hours. A passenger’s power bank reportedly exploded and produced smoke while charging, raising concerns about compliance with existing safety rules. The board instructed railway zones to inform all concerned staff and ensure that charging points remain switched off during the specified period without exceptions. It also called for staff training and surprise inspections by officers and supervisors to check whether the instructions were being followed properly. The original order was issued in June 2014 following a fire incident in an air-conditioned coach of the Hazur Sahib Nanded–KSR Bengaluru Express in 2013. The Commissioner of Railway Safety had recommended restricting the use of charging points overnight. The board subsequently introduced the timing rule for air-conditioned coaches. Another major fire occurred in a sleeper-class coach of the New Delhi–Darbhanga Humsafar Clone Special in November 2023, spreading to adjoining coaches. The safety commissioner later recommended extending the restriction to sleeper coaches. However, the Railway Board said deploying staff to enforce the rule in non-air-conditioned coaches would involve high costs. In March, South East Central Railway also raised concerns about charging points remaining powered throughout the night, citing possible fire hazards and theft risks. The latest directive renews the focus on enforcing existing safety measures across the railway network