Why the Major Disruption?
Indian Railways has announced a 36-day power and traffic block at Chandigarh Railway Station, scheduled from September 10 to October 15, 2026. This prolonged block is necessary to facilitate a major station redevelopment project managed by the Rail Land
Development Authority (RLDA). The work involves crucial infrastructure upgrades, including the erection of a new 'balance through roof' structure and the dismantling of the old foot overbridge. To ensure safety and allow for heavy construction, train movements must be restricted. The entire process has been divided into three 12-day phases to minimise the overall impact, but significant changes to train services are unavoidable during this period.
Cancelled Train Services
A total of 12 train services will be completely cancelled throughout the 36-day block, impacting 442 individual trips between September 9 and October 16. This is the most severe level of disruption, and passengers with bookings on these trains will need to find alternative travel arrangements. Key cancelled services include popular intercity routes like the Amritsar-Chandigarh-Amritsar Express (14541/14542) and the Chandigarh-Firozpur-Chandigarh Express (14629/14630). Other affected routes include passenger services on the Kalka-Ambala, Kalka-Delhi, and Daulatpur Chowk-Kalka lines, which are crucial for daily commuters in the region.
Short-Terminated and Diverted Trains
The headline's '54 train changes' primarily refers to the 54 train trips that will be short-terminated or short-originated at Ambala Cantonment station instead of Chandigarh. This means passengers on these services will have to begin or end their journey at Ambala, arranging their own transport for the Ambala-Chandigarh leg. Notable trains affected by this change include the Ajmer-Chandigarh Garib Rath (12983/12984), the Ramnagar-Chandigarh Express, and the Udaipur-Chandigarh Express. Additionally, some long-distance trains will be diverted entirely, bypassing Chandigarh. For instance, two services of the Lalkuan-Amritsar Superfast Express (14615/14616) will be rerouted via Sirhind on specific dates, skipping Chandigarh and Mohali completely. Passengers are strongly advised to check if their train's route has been altered.
Platform Changes and Temporary Halts
Beyond cancellations and diversions, travellers should also anticipate frequent platform changes at the Chandigarh station. During the first phase of the block alone (September 10-21), at least 20 trains will operate from different platforms than usual. This number will change through the different phases, with a total of 76 trains berthing on different platforms throughout the 36 days. Even the popular New Delhi-Kalka Shatabdi Express will see its platform shifted during the final phase. To help manage passenger load, Northern Railway has also introduced temporary additional halts at SAS Nagar (Mohali) for eight long-distance trains, including the Amritsar-Dehradun Express (14631/14632). This provides an alternative boarding/deboarding point for some travellers.
What Should Passengers Do?
Given the scale and duration of these disruptions, assuming your train will run as scheduled is not advisable. The most critical step for anyone travelling through Chandigarh between September 10 and October 15 is to verify their train's status before leaving home. The official National Train Enquiry System (NTES) app and website are the most reliable sources for real-time information on cancellations, diversions, and platform numbers. Passengers can also use the Rail Madad helpline at 139 or check with station enquiry counters. For trains that are now starting from Ambala or Mohali, travellers must factor in the additional time and cost required to reach these alternative stations.
