New Rules for Indian Railways: If you travel by train, this news is particularly relevant to you. Indian Railways has issued strict instructions to passengers: mobile and power bank charging points in train coaches will now be switched off during the night. A firm policy has been implemented to keep these charging points disabled between 11:00 PM and 5:00 AM. In practical terms, this means that passengers will not be able to use the charging points provided in train coaches during these six hours at night. The railways have taken this step to ensure passenger safety.
What are the instructions from the Railways?
Indian Railways announced via a post on the social media platform ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) that mobile charging points in coaches will be switched off from 11:00 PM to 5:00 AM. Staff have been given strict instructions to ensure compliance with this rule. Although a similar directive was previously issued on June 19, 2014, the Railways is now emphasising strict adherence to the policy.
Why has Indian Railways taken this step?
Accidents have occurred on trains while passengers were charging mobile phones or power banks—in some instances, devices began emitting smoke, leading to fires. It is to prevent such incidents that the railways have taken this action. Having received reports of several such occurrences in the past, the Railways have decided to enforce this rule more rigorously. Furthermore, officials and supervisors have been instructed to conduct periodic checks.
How will the new rule affect passengers?
Since charging points will be unavailable between 11:00 PM and 5:00 AM, passengers will be unable to charge their mobile devices during this period. Consequently, if you are planning to travel by train at night, please ensure that your mobile phone and power bank are fully charged before boarding. Passengers are also advised to remain mindful of safety when charging their electronic devices. If there appears to be any risk of an untoward incident, stop using it immediately.