Charging points in trains to remain off 11 pm-5 am

The Railway Board has reiterated its instructions to switch off electricity supply to power sockets in train between 11pm and 5am after a passenger’s power bank exploded while charging aboard the Mumbai-Howrah Mail in Odisha on October 24, disrupting train operations.

The incident occurred around 3.38am in an AC coach when a passenger’s power bank exploded, caught fire and released smoke. The12809 Mumbai-Howrah Mail was halted for around 15 minutes near Bandamunda station before resuming its journey at 3.53am.

In a letter dated October 26, the Railway Board directed all zonal railways to ensure strict compliance with existing instructions on switching off mobile charging points during night hours.

The letter, addressed to the principal chief mechanical engineers of all zonal railways, stated, “Recently, an instance has occurred in SER wherein onboard staff has not switched off the mobile charging points during the aforesaid period. Subsequently during charging a passenger’s power bank exploded with smoke.”

It further read, “In view of the above, all Zonal Railways are advised to issue necessary Instructions to all concerned staff to ensure strict compliance for mobile charging points to invariably remain switched off from 11.00 PM to 05.00 AM. No exception should be permitted on this account”

On June 19, 2014, the Board had introduced instructions for railway staff to switch off charging points between 11 pm and 5 am after the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS)’s recommendation that followed a 2013 fire incident in an AC 3-tier coach of the Hazur Sahib Nanded- KSR Bengaluru Express in the Bengaluru division of the South Western Railway zone.

To be sure, the South East Central Railway issued similar instructions to all its divisions in March this year too.

“No exception should be permitted on this account,” the letter stated, directing zonal railways to issue necessary instructions to all concerned staff to ensure that charging points invariably remain switched off during the specified hours.

The Board also called for staff to be counselled, instructed and trained to ensure effective implementation of the directions. It also asked railway officials and supervisors to conduct surprise inspections to ensure strict compliance with these instructions.

Besides the SER incident, a passenger’s power bank exploded in a Mumbai AC local last week.

A similar fire incident occurred in a sleeper-class coach of the New Delhi-Darbhanga Humsafar Clone Special in the North Central Railway area in November 2023 when the fire spread throughout the coach and engulfed the adjoining coaches.