The North Western Railway (NWR) has announced a significant infrastructure upgrade on the Ajmer-Chandaria rail section, scheduled to take place throughout September and October 2026. This essential track doubling project, which spans the stretch between Jharwasa-Bandanwara and Singawal stations, is designed to bolster future rail operations by ensuring safer, faster, and more efficient train movement. As part of this work, the Ajmer Division will implement a non-interlocking block, which will inevitably lead to service disruptions including cancellations, diversions, and schedule adjustments for several key trains connecting major hubs like Udaipur, Jaipur, Delhi, Rishikesh, and Indore.
- Project Scope: Track doubling between Jharwasa-Bandanwara and Singawal stations.
- Timeline: Non-interlocking block scheduled for September and October 2026.
- Impact: Cancellations, diversions, and delays affecting major routes across the NWR network.
- Project Cost: The massive infrastructure initiative is estimated at 1813 crore rupees.
Details of Service Disruptions
The construction phase will cause wide-ranging changes to train operations. Notable cancellations include the Madar-Udaipur City (19605) and the Santragachi-Ajmer Special (08611) on specific dates in September 2026, as well as the Ajmer-Santragachi Special (08612) on select dates in September and October. Furthermore, passengers should note that the Jaipur-Bhopal Express (19711) and Bhopal-Jaipur Express (19712) will temporarily bypass Bandanwara station between October 6 and October 8, 2026.
Several other long-distance services, including the Jaipur-Bandra Terminus Special, Jodhpur-Indore Express, and Ajmer-Bandra Terminus Express, are slated to operate on diverted routes. Passengers traveling on various other lines should also be prepared for partial cancellations or delays ranging from one to two hours, alongside regulations of up to 40 minutes.
Project Background and Passenger Advice
According to Amit Sudarshan, Chief Public Relations Officer for North Western Railway, this project is part of a larger, multi-phase development plan. The land acquisition process, which included official notifications issued in January 2026, highlights the scale of this 1813 crore rupee investment. As the railway works to modernize this critical corridor, officials have strongly urged passengers to verify the status of their trains through official IRCTC or NWR channels before heading to the station to avoid any last-minute inconvenience.