Being a largest network,
it is difficult though not impossible anyway to monitor and maintain all the
properties of the railways. No wonder, things like bedrolls and fans are often
stolen away unseen and uncaught too.
As per the last released
report by the Ministry of Railways, from toilet mugs to fans and railway lines,
the Indian Railways recovered stolen property worth Rs 7.37 crore in 2022. These efforts certainly have decreased the
number of thefts but cannot totally eliminate the thefts. Direct Current (DC)
is used by the train fans and other
appliances which can only be used as Direct Current (DC). Even if stolen, it
cannot be installed at homes as the home appliances require 5,12 or 24 volts of
DC power to run.
The railways supply
only 110 volts of electricity for the fans in trains. After stealing such
appliances, the worth of it won’t be more than that of a scrap. It can be used
only in matters related to trains and railways
The main reason why
railways supply 110 volts, instead of 230 volts, is to prevent theft. Most
thieves are already aware of these rules and hence they avoid stealing fans and
lights from trains.