Why This Disruption Is Happening
Northern Railway's Ambala Division has scheduled a significant power and traffic block at the Chandigarh railway station as part of a major upgrade. The work, which will run for 36 days from September 10 to October 15, is necessary for the redevelopment
of the station, being carried out by the Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA). Key tasks include erecting a new balance through-roof structure and dismantling the girders of the old foot-over-bridge. Officials have stated that this crucial infrastructure work cannot be completed while the station remains fully operational, necessitating a phased block of platforms and lines.
Duration and Phased Execution
The disruption is not a complete shutdown but a carefully managed block divided into three 12-day phases to minimize overall impact while allowing construction to proceed. The phases are: September 10 to 21, affecting lines and platforms 5 and 6; September 22 to October 3, affecting platforms 3 and 4; and October 4 to 15, affecting platforms 1 and 2. This long-duration block is one of the longest in the station's recent history and will affect a total of 442 train trips over the 36-day period, impacting major routes connecting Chandigarh with Delhi, Kalka, Ambala, and Amritsar.
Cancelled, Diverted, and Short-Terminated Trains
The operational changes are extensive. Twelve train services will be fully cancelled throughout the period, including key daily routes like the Chandigarh-Amritsar Express, Delhi-Kalka Express, and Chandigarh-Firozpur Express. Another 54 train trips will be short-terminated or short-originated, meaning they will not reach Chandigarh. Instead, many of these services, such as the Ajmer-Chandigarh Garib Rath and the Udaipur-Chandigarh Express, will now terminate or begin their journeys from Ambala Cantt. Passengers booked on these trains will need to arrange alternative transport for the Ambala-Chandigarh leg of their journey. Additionally, a few trains, like the Lalkuan-Amritsar Express, will be diverted via Sirhind on specific dates, skipping Chandigarh and Mohali altogether.
Changes for Shatabdi, Vande Bharat, and Other Services
Even for trains that continue to run, passengers must remain alert for platform changes. Premium services like the Shatabdi Express and Vande Bharat Express will be affected. For instance, from October 4 to 15, the New Delhi-Kalka Shatabdi Express (12011) will shift from its usual Platform 1 to Platform 5 at Chandigarh. Across the three phases, a total of 76 trains will berth at different platforms than their usual schedule. To ease the pressure on Chandigarh and assist passengers, Railways has also arranged for eight long-distance trains to have temporary additional stops at SAS Nagar (Mohali).
What Passengers Should Do
Given the scale of these changes, it is essential for all passengers to verify the status of their train before starting their journey. Do not assume normal schedules will be in effect. The most reliable way to check for cancellations, diversions, short-terminations, and platform changes is by using the official NTES (National Train Enquiry System) app or website. Passengers can also use the Rail Madad helpline at 139 or check with station enquiry counters for the most up-to-date information. For trains that have been cancelled, passengers are entitled to a full refund. For those that are short-terminated at Ambala, be sure to plan for additional time and transport to complete your journey to or from Chandigarh.
