The Indian Railways has stated that passengers can no longer charge their phones, laptops and other electronic devices at night while travelling on trains. The restriction will apply from 11 pm to 5 am, and is meant to be a precaution against accidental sparking.
The rule comes on the heels of two major train fires in northern India. You might remember that the Delhi-Dehradun Shatabdi Express had caught fire on March 13. Barely a week later, the engine of a static goods train in Ranchi had suffered a similar fate.
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The Railways had then announced a severe penalty for anyone caught smoking in trains. The new curbs on phone charging hope to be an added layer of security.
To ensure passengers comply, the Western Railways has been cutting off power to the charging ports on their coaches since March 16. Other passenger trains will soon follow suit by cutting off the supply to these ports from the main switchboard.
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However, it must be noted that these charging rules aren’t new. The Railway Board had asked all zones to implement the same time restrictions back in 2014, after a fire on the Bengaluru-Hazur Sahib Nanded Express.
Nevertheless, here’s hoping the new spotlight on these rules will be successful in improving rail safety. For more train news, keep following ixigo!
