What Is Happening and Why?
Chandigarh railway station is undergoing its longest disruption in recent memory with a 36-day power and traffic block scheduled from September 10 to October 15, 2026. This major undertaking is necessary for the ongoing upgrade of the station, which is being
handled by the Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA). The core tasks involve erecting a new through-roof structure and dismantling the old foot-over-bridge (FOB) girders. This essential infrastructure work cannot be completed while the station is fully operational, leading to phased line closures and significant changes to train services.
The Three Phases of Disruption
To minimise the impact, the Ambala Division of Northern Railway has split the 36-day block into three 12-day phases, affecting different platforms and lines sequentially. The schedule is as follows: Phase 1 (September 10-21) will impact lines 6, 7, and 8. Phase 2 (September 22-October 3) will affect lines 4 and 5. Phase 3 (October 4-15) will cover lines 1, 2, and 3. During each phase, numerous trains will face cancellations, diversions, or changes in their originating and terminating stations. Platform numbers for many operating trains will also be changed.
Cancellations, Diversions, and Short-Terminations
The headline figure is that 54 train trips are being short-terminated or short-originated, meaning they will not reach or depart from Chandigarh. However, the overall impact is much wider. In total, 12 train services will remain cancelled throughout the block, translating to 442 individual trip cancellations. This includes key services like the Chandigarh-Amritsar Express and the Delhi-Kalka line. Additionally, several long-distance trains will be short-terminated at or will short-originate from Ambala Cantt. This means passengers booked to or from Chandigarh on these services will have to deboard or board at Ambala and arrange alternative transport for the final leg of their journey.
Key Affected Routes and Services
Instead of a complete halt, many trains will now use Ambala Cantt as their main hub. For example, the Ajmer-Chandigarh Garib Rath (12983/12984) and the Udaipur-Chandigarh Express (20989/20990) will terminate or originate at Ambala on specified dates. Similarly, the Ramnagar-Chandigarh Express is another key service that will be curtailed at Ambala. Even premium trains like the Shatabdi and Vande Bharat Express services will see changes, primarily in platform allocations during the final phase of the block. To ease some of the pressure, eight long-distance trains will be given a temporary, additional stop at SAS Nagar (Mohali).
A Passenger’s Action Plan
The Railways have strongly advised all passengers travelling between September 10 and October 15 to be proactive. First, do not assume your train is running as scheduled. Before leaving home, verify the latest status of your train, including its origin/destination station, timings, and platform information. The most reliable sources for this are the official NTES app, the Rail Madad helpline (139), and the station enquiry counters. Be prepared for last-minute platform changes by checking the display boards upon arriving at the station. If your train has been short-terminated at Ambala or Mohali, you will need to factor in extra time and cost for road travel to or from Chandigarh. Given the scale of the disruption, planning ahead is essential to avoid inconvenience.
