Indian Railways to switch off train charging points from 11 pm to 5 am from November
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK Daltonganj, October 30: The Ministry of Railways has directed that mobile phone and laptop charging points in trains…
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, October 30: The Ministry of Railways has directed that mobile phone and laptop charging points in trains be switched off between 11 pm and 5 am as a passenger safety measure. The directive will come into effect from November and will apply to all coaching trains, commonly known as express trains, according to railway sources.
Railways Cites Power Bank Explosion in Train
Saumit Gupta, Officer on Special Duty (Electricity Engineering), Ministry of Railways, issued a letter dated October 26, 2026, to the principal chief mechanical engineers of all 19 railway zones, instructing them to ensure that charging sockets remain without power during the six-hour period.
The letter cites a recent incident in which a passenger’s power bank reportedly exploded and emitted smoke while connected to a charging socket in a train under the South Eastern Railway (SER). The ministry has taken the measure to enhance the safety of both passengers and railway personnel.
Daltonganj Station Superintendent Confirms Directive
Daltonganj Station Superintendent Umesh Kumar, whose station falls under the East Central Railway zone headquartered in Hajipur, confirmed that instructions had been received in this regard.
“There has come a letter to this effect to keep sockets/ points for charging cell phones and laptop powerless/ switch off from 11 pm to 5 am in the trains.”
Train Lighting and AC Staff to Ensure Compliance
Explaining the arrangements for implementing the directive, Kumar said, “There is a category of staff called Train lighting and air conditioning whose prime duty is to oversee the power supply and any malfunctioning of electrical equipments from bulbs to fans to air conditioners to charging sockets or points in the running train. This staff is to ensure implementation of this directive”.
Railway sources said the responsibility for ensuring compliance would rest with the staff responsible for train lighting and air-conditioning systems, who monitor electrical equipment and power supply in running trains.
Similar Advisory Issued in 2014
Sources also recalled that a similar advisory on switching off mobile phone and laptop charging points during night hours had been issued in 2014.
With the latest directive scheduled to take effect from November, passengers will have to plan their device-charging requirements accordingly, as charging facilities will remain unavailable between 11 pm and 5 am.
