Railways to turn off charging points in trains during night

Railways to turn off charging points in trains during night

V. Geetanath

HYDERABAD  29.10.2026

Train passengers will no longer be allowed to keep their mobile phones charging overnight, with the Railway Board issuing strict instructions to all zonal railways to switch off charging points between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.

In an official communication, the Board has directed railway authorities to conduct surprise inspections in coaches during overnight journeys. Both officers and supervisory staff have been asked to ensure strict compliance with the directive, with no exceptions permitted under any circumstances.

Senior railway officials said a circular mandating the shutdown of mobile charging circuits during night travel had been issued more than a decade ago. However, the rule was apparently not being enforced consistently on some trains.

The Railway Board’s renewed insistence on implementing the measure follows a recent incident in the South Eastern Railway zone. Railway staff reportedly failed to switch off charging points during the prescribed hours, leading to a power bank explosion while being charged.

However, some officials believe the focus should be on preventing the charging of power banks during the six-hour overnight period rather than restricting charging altogether.

They also argued that the number of charging points should not be increased indiscriminately.