Indian Railways to disable mobile charging ports overnight to prevent fires
The Ministry of Railways has ordered all zonal railways to switch off coach charging points between 11 PM and 5 AM.
The Ministry of Railways has issued instructions to switch off mobile charging points in train coaches for six hours every night, from 11 PM to 5 AM, to ensure passenger safety. According to The Indian Express, the move aims to prevent fire hazards.
The decision follows an incident in the South Eastern Railway (SER) zone where onboard staff did not turn off charging points during the night. In that instance, a passenger's power bank exploded and produced smoke while charging.
A similar incident occurred on October 24, 2025, on the Amritsar-Purnia Court Jan Sewa Express near Sonbarsa Kachahari station in Bihar's Saharsa district. A fire broke out in a general coach around 6:10 PM, which a senior railway official said was caused by a mobile phone exploding while charging.
The Railway Board has advised all Zonal Railways to ensure strict compliance with the new timing and stated that no exceptions should be permitted. The Board has also directed that staff be counselled and trained to implement these instructions effectively.
To check for compliance with the overnight restrictions, the Railway Board has called for surprise inspections at both supervisor and officer levels.