No charging of phones or laptops in trains from 11 pm to 5 am, says Railways

Passengers will not be allowed to charge phones, laptops and other electronic devices in trains between 11 pm and 5 am in view of the recent spate of fire incidents in trains.

Railways has taken this decision as a precautionary measure, officials said.

The Western Railway already put things in motion on March 16 by cutting off supply to these charging ports.

The instructions are, however, not new.

In 2014, citing a Commissioner of Railway Safety recommendation, Railway Board had instructed all zones to switch off charging points between 11 pm and 5 am, soon after a fire incident in the Bangalore-Hazur Sahib Nanded Express.

“In view of the recent incidents of fire, we have done the needful. It is a precautionary measure and even earlier the Railway Board had issued such orders. The power from the main switchboard for these points will be switched off from 11 pm to 5 am,” an official said.