NEW DELHI, October 28: The Railway Board has directed all zonal railways to strictly enforce the shutdown of mobile phone and laptop charging points in train coaches between 11 pm and 5 am, following an incident in which a passenger’s power bank reportedly exploded while charging, filling a coach with smoke.
In a letter dated October 26, 2026, the Board instructed railway authorities to ensure that onboard staff switch off charging points during the stipulated hours without exception. The directive follows an incident on the Mumbai–Howrah Mail (Train No. 12809) in the South Eastern Railway zone.
The incident occurred around 3.38 am on October 25 near Bandamunda in Odisha, in AC coach B-3, berth 6. Smoke spread through the coach after the power bank exploded, triggering the fire alarm. The train was halted for about 15 minutes. No injuries were reported.
The Railway Board noted that onboard staff had failed to switch off the charging points during the restricted hours. It has asked all zonal railways to issue clear instructions to the staff concerned and ensure that the existing safety order is followed.
The Board has also directed railway authorities to provide appropriate training and counselling to staff and conduct surprise inspections at both officer and supervisory levels to check compliance.
Safety restriction in place since 2014
The restriction was introduced in June 2014 following a recommendation by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), after a fire incident in an AC three-tier coach of the Hazur Sahib Nanded–KSR Bengaluru Express in 2013.
The CRS had recommended switching off charging points in air-conditioned coaches between 10 pm and 6 am. The Railway Board subsequently prescribed the period from 11 pm to 5 am, balancing passenger convenience with safety, and directed that stickers be displayed in AC coaches to inform passengers about the restriction.
Passengers travelling overnight are advised to charge their mobile phones, laptops and other electronic devices before 11 pm. The measure is intended to reduce the risk of fire incidents associated with charging electronic devices and power banks during night hours.
