Why This Disruption Is Happening
The Northern Railway's Ambala Division has scheduled a significant power and traffic block to facilitate the ongoing redevelopment of the Chandigarh Railway Station into a world-class facility. This work, managed by the Rail Land Development Authority
(RLDA), involves major structural changes, including the erection of a new through-roof structure and the dismantling of the old foot-over-bridge. The project aims to provide passengers with amenities comparable to international airports, featuring a new terminal for the Panchkula side and a 72-meter wide roof plaza with food courts and retail shops. This long-planned upgrade, part of a ₹462-crore project, has unfortunately faced multiple delays, and this extended block is intended to accelerate the pending construction.
A Phased Approach to Minimize Inconvenience
To manage the upgrades while keeping parts of the station operational, the 36-day block is divided into three 12-day phases. Each phase will target different railway lines and platforms, allowing construction to proceed sequentially. The first phase runs from September 10 to 21, impacting lines 6, 7, and 8. The second phase, from September 22 to October 3, will focus on lines 4 and 5. The final phase, from October 4 to 15, will affect lines 1, 2, and 3. This phased approach means that the specific trains affected and platform changes will vary throughout the 36-day period, requiring passengers to stay updated.
Trains Short-Terminated at Ambala
The most significant change for many passengers is that 54 train services will not reach Chandigarh at all. Instead, they will be "short-terminated" or "short-originated" at Ambala Cantonment station. This means passengers booked to or from Chandigarh on these services will have to deboard or board at Ambala and arrange for their own transport for the onward journey to or from Chandigarh. Key trains affected by this change include the Ajmer-Chandigarh Garib Rath (12983/12984), the Ramnagar-Chandigarh Express, and the Udaipur-Chandigarh Express (20989/20990) on specified dates. This will undoubtedly cause inconvenience, and travelers on these routes must factor in the extra time and cost of commuting between the two cities.
Cancelled Services and Diversions
In addition to short-terminations, twelve train services will be fully cancelled for the duration of the block, which translates to 442 individual trips being affected. These include several popular intercity routes like the Amritsar-Chandigarh Express (14541/14542) and the Chandigarh-Firozpur Express (14629/14630), impacting daily commuters and regional travelers. A few trains will be diverted to bypass Chandigarh entirely. For instance, two services of the Lalkuan-Amritsar Superfast Express (14615/14616) will run via Ambala-Sirhind-Sanehwal on specific dates, skipping Chandigarh. To ease some of the passenger load, temporary additional stops at Mohali station have been announced for several other long-distance trains, including the Dehradun-Amritsar Express (14631/14632).
Platform Changes and What You Should Do
Even for trains that continue to operate from Chandigarh, frequent platform changes are expected. During the first phase alone, the berthing arrangements for approximately 20 trains will be altered. This will affect even premium services like the Delhi-bound Shatabdi and the Vande Bharat Express at different stages of the block. With schedules in flux, passengers are strongly advised not to assume their train's regular platform or timing. Before heading to the station, all travelers should verify the latest information about their train's status, including its schedule, platform number, and any cancellations or diversions. The best resources for real-time updates are the official NTES app, the Rail Madad helpline (139), and station enquiry counters.
