54 train services to skip Chandigarh for over a month starting Thursday

Passengers travelling to Chandigarh by train will have to get off at the Ambala Cantonment station or begin their journey from there on specified dates, as the Railways has decided to short-terminate and short-originate 54 train trips during a 36-day block at the Chandigarh railway station beginning Thursday.

This means passengers will have to use alternative means of transport to get to and from Ambala. Train 20989 will be short-terminated at Ambala Cantt, while its return journey will short-originate from Platform 2 of the station.

The change means passengers whose tickets are for Chandigarh on the affected services will have to factor in the additional journey between Chandigarh and Ambala Cantt. Those beginning their journey from Chandigarh will similarly have to reach Ambala Cantt to board the affected service.

The disruption will be phased as railway lines at Chandigarh are taken up for the foot overbridge work. Lines 6, 7, and 8 will be blocked from September 10 to 21; lines 4 and 5 from September 22 to October 3; and lines 1, 2 and 3 from October 4 to 15.

The 36-day power and traffic block will be imposed from September 10 to October 15 for the ongoing upgrade of the Chandigarh railway station, including launching the foot overbridge’s remaining girders and removing the old foot overbridge’s girders.

Two services of the Lalkuan-Amritsar Superfast Express (14615/14616) will be diverted via Ambala-Sirhind-Sanehwal instead of Chandigarh on specified dates. Passengers have also been warned that the disruption will extend to platform arrangements.

Platform or berthing changes have been made for 20 trains in the first phase, 17 in the second, and 39 in the third. Passengers have been advised to check the latest train status, stops, timings, and platform information through NTES, station announcements, and the 139 helpline.

Hina Rohtaki is a Special Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Chandigarh. She is one of the most prominent journalists covering the Chandigarh Administration, civic issues, and the unique political status of the Union Territory.

Professional Background Experience: She has been in the field for over a decade and is known for her investigative reporting on administrative waste and urban governance. Awards: She is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award, which was presented to her by the President of India in January 2020.

She was also awarded the Jethmalani prize (The Will of Steel Awards) in 2025 in the Empowerment category for a series of articles that highlighted the struggles of Covid widows. Core Beat: Her primary focus is the Chandigarh administrative structure, the Union Territory's financial management, and urban development projects.

Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent work highlights a focus on government accountability, administrative expenditures, and civic trends: 1. Investigative & Financial Reporting "Fuelling power: Senior UT IAS officers guzzled petrol worth Rs 30 lakh in 2 yrs" (Dec 14, 2025): An investigative report detailing the high fuel bills of top bureaucrats, including the Finance Secretary and Chief Secretary’s staff.

"Admn spends Rs 1.5 crore on dismantling road railings and fixing again after increasing height" (Dec 8, 2025): Highlighting administrative waste on "non-viable" solutions for pedestrian control. "Chandigarh’s finances under ministry’s watch now" (Nov 27, 2025): Reporting on the new requirement for MHA approval for all new projects in the UT.

2. Governance & Constitutional Status "What will it mean for Chandigarh if it is brought under Article 240?" (Nov 24, 2025): An "Explained" piece on the potential constitutional shift that would grant the President more power over the UT's governance.

"MP Manish Tewari moves Bill seeking directly elected Mayor with 5-year tenure" (Dec 6, 2025): Covering the legislative push to reform Chandigarh's municipal leadership structure. "No proposal to increase Mayor's term in Chandigarh by 5 years: Centre" (Dec 10, 2025): Reporting on the Union government's response to demands for a longer mayoral term.

3. Urban Infrastructure & Environment "Chandigarh admn cuts power to India's tallest air purifier, asks firm to dismantle it" (Nov 17, 2025): A critical report on the failure of a high-cost environmental project deemed "of no use" by experts.

"UT rethinks 24/7 water supply project as costs soar" (Nov 26, 2025): Detailing the financial challenges and delays in modernizing the city's water network. "Centre 'obfuscating, covering up' MC's shifting deadlines for clearing Dadu Majra dump" (Dec 12, 2025): Reporting on the ongoing controversy surrounding the city's major waste dump.

4. Lifestyle & Local Trends "Chandigarh turns into a Thar city as women fuel the surge" (Dec 2, 2025): A feature on a unique automotive trend in the city, with a record 600 registrations by women drivers this year. "After fivefold spike in 2023, EV sales struggle to pick pace in Chandigarh" (Dec 2, 2025): Analyzing the slowdown in electric vehicle adoption despite previous surges.

Signature Beat Hina is known for her meticulous tracking of RTI (Right to Information) data to expose administrative inefficiency. Her "Ground Zero" reporting on the Dadu Majra garbage dump and her scrutiny of the Chandigarh Smart City projects have made her a key figure in the city’s civil society discourse.

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