India’s Railway Board is tightening enforcement of a six-hour overnight shutdown of train mobile charging points after reports of a power bank exploding while charging during the restricted period.
UNI reported that an Oct. 26 Railway Board letter told zones to enforce the existing switch-off window, from 1:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET (11 p.m. to 5 a.m. IST). The letter said staff had failed to switch off the points and allowed no exceptions. It called on zones to brief, counsel and train employees, with officers and supervisors making surprise inspections.
India Today reported that the down Mumbai-Howrah Mail, train No. 12809, stopped near Bandamunda, Odisha, after a power bank exploded in coach B-3 at 6:08 p.m. ET Friday, Oct. 23 (3:38 a.m. IST Saturday, Oct. 24). The fire alarm sounded and smoke spread through the coach. The train resumed at 6:23 p.m. ET (3:53 a.m. IST), about 15 minutes later. No injuries were reported, India Today and Upstox said.
The overnight shutdown dates to a Railway Board instruction issued June 19, 2014, covering mobile and laptop charging points in air-conditioned coaches. The instruction followed a fire aboard train No. 16594 on Dec. 28, 2013. It cited safety considerations and passenger convenience.
Western Railway began cutting power to onboard charging points during the same hours in March 2021, The Indian Express reported. For overnight passengers, the rule means no access to train charging points during the six-hour window. The latest directive lists staff training and surprise inspections as enforcement steps; no date for a compliance review was announced.
