Why These Major Changes Are Happening
The Northern Railway's Ambala Division has scheduled a 36-day power and traffic block at Chandigarh Railway Station to facilitate major upgrades. This work is part of the station's ongoing redevelopment by the Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA). The essential
construction includes erecting a new through-roof structure and dismantling the old foot-over-bridge girders. These upgrades cannot be completed while the station is fully operational, necessitating a phased approach to minimise passenger inconvenience. The work will be conducted in three 12-day phases, affecting different platforms and lines sequentially from September 10 to October 15.
Fully Cancelled Train Services
Throughout the 36-day block period, a total of 12 train services will remain fully cancelled, affecting 442 individual trips. Passengers who regularly use these services will need to find alternative travel arrangements between September 10 and October 15. The major cancelled services include key commuter and intercity routes such as the Amritsar-Chandigarh-Amritsar Express, the Chandigarh-Firozpur-Chandigarh Express, and passenger trains on the Kalka-Ambala, Kalka-Delhi, and Ambala-Jalandhar routes. Travellers are strongly advised to check if their specific train is on the cancellation list before planning their journey.
Trains Short-Terminated at Ambala
A significant number of long-distance trains will be 'short-terminated' or 'short-originated' from Ambala Cantonment station instead of Chandigarh. This means passengers heading to Chandigarh on these trains will have to deboard at Ambala and arrange for their own transport for the final leg of the journey. Likewise, passengers starting their journey from Chandigarh will need to travel to Ambala to board these trains. Key services affected include the Ajmer-Chandigarh Garib Rath (12983/12984) and the Ramnagar-Chandigarh Express on specific dates throughout the block. In total, 54 train trips will be impacted by this change.
Platform Shifts and Reschedules
Even for trains that continue to operate from Chandigarh, significant platform changes are expected. Over the 36 days, a total of 76 trains will berth at different platforms than usual. This will affect popular services, including the Delhi-bound Shatabdi Express (12046) and the Vande Bharat Express (20977/78). For example, during the final phase from October 4 to 15, the New Delhi-Kalka Shatabdi (12011) will shift from its usual Platform 1 to Platform 5. Passengers must pay close attention to station announcements and digital display boards to avoid confusion and last-minute rushes.
Relief Measures and Passenger Advice
To mitigate the disruption, the Railways has introduced some relief measures. Eight long-distance trains will be given a temporary halt at SAS Nagar (Mohali) station to ease the pressure on Chandigarh. These include services like the Amritsar-Dehradun Express (14631/14632) and the Sambalpur-Jammu Tawi Express (18309/18101). For all passengers travelling during this period, the primary advice from railway officials is to verify their train's status before leaving home. This can be done using the NTES mobile app or by contacting the Rail Madad helpline at 139. Given the scale of the changes, assuming a normal schedule could lead to significant travel delays.
