Northern Railway announces 36 day traffic block in Ambala division affecting over 400 trains

The Northern Railway's Ambala Division has announced a comprehensive 36-day traffic and power block scheduled from September 10 to October 15, 2026, to facilitate critical infrastructure modernization at Chandigarh Railway Station. DRM Vinod Bhatia confirmed that the project, executed in conjunction with the Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA), includes the installation of through-roof structure girders and the dismantling of existing foot overbridge girders. Passengers are advised to check their train schedules in advance as hundreds of services will experience cancellations, short-terminations, diversions, or platform changes during this period.

Key Highlights of the Ambala Division Traffic Block

• Schedule: September 10 to October 15, 2026, divided into three 12-day phases (Phase I: Sept 10–21, Phase II: Sept 22–Oct 3, Phase III: Oct 4–15).
• Total Affected Trains: 442 train trips are set to be cancelled.
• Full-Duration Cancellations: 12 specific services suspended for the entire 36 days, including Delhi-Kalka (14331/14332), Chandigarh-Amritsar (14541/14542), Chandigarh-Ferozepur (14629/14630), and Ambala-Jalandhar City (74645/74646) express trains.
• Short-Terminated/Originated Services: 54 trains will be short-terminated or short-originated, including six train pairs like Rishikesh-Chandigarh (15063/64), Ajmer-Chandigarh (12983/84), and Udaipur-Chandigarh (20989/90) which will conclude at Ambala Cantt.
• Diversions and Stoppages: Ludhiana-Amritsar route (14615/14616) will bypass Chandigarh via Sirhind on October 3 and 10. Temporary stoppages are established at Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar (Mohali).

Understanding the Impact on Passenger Travel

To accommodate the heavy construction work safely and efficiently, widespread operational changes have been put in place. Officials stated that the timeline is strictly fixed to avoid overlapping with the upcoming peak festival season, ensuring long-term benefits for travellers once modernization is complete. In addition to cancellations and short-terminations, platform allocations for approximately 20 trains will be revised during the 36-day block.

How to Check Your Train Status Before Travelling

Because of the scale of these infrastructure works, regular commuters and long-distance travellers must remain vigilant about their journeys. Passengers are strongly urged to verify current train statuses via the NTES app, Rail Madad (139), or local station inquiry counters before heading to the railway station to avoid last-minute inconvenience.