Passengers planning to travel from Chandigarh to New Delhi on Saturday will face major disruption. Northern Railway's Ambala division has cancelled two key trains on the route — the Kalka-New Delhi Shatabdi Express (12006) and the Jan Shatabdi Express (12058). The cancellations come amid anticipated traffic congestion in the national capital ahead of a planned protest by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Which Chandigarh–Delhi Trains Are Cancelled on Saturday
The two cancelled trains are among the most used services on the Chandigarh–New Delhi route. The Shatabdi Express (12006) runs from Kalka to New Delhi via Chandigarh. It is scheduled to depart from Chandigarh at 6.53 am and reach New Delhi railway station at 10.15 am. The Jan Shatabdi Express (12058) is the second key service cancelled for the day.
According to information provided by the Ambala division, a total of 29 trains connecting New Delhi with various railway stations under its jurisdiction have been cancelled for Saturday.
Why the Trains Were Cancelled
The cancellations are not due to any railway fault or technical issue. They are a direct response to expected traffic congestion in Delhi. The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) has planned a protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, and authorities expect this to choke roads and disrupt movement across the capital.
To put it plainly, the railways have chosen to stop these trains rather than run them into a city bracing for protest-related chaos. The Ambala division's decision affects not just Chandigarh travellers but passengers across all stations under its jurisdiction that connect to New Delhi.
What This Means for Passengers
- Anyone with a Saturday ticket on the Kalka-New Delhi Shatabdi Express (12006) or Jan Shatabdi Express (12058) will need to find another way to travel or reschedule.
- The disruption is not limited to these two trains — 29 trains in total are cancelled for Saturday.
- Passengers travelling from Chandigarh, Kalka, and other stations under the Ambala division to New Delhi are all affected.
- The cancellations are tied to a single day's protest, so normal services are expected to resume after Saturday.
Our Take: A Costly Way to Manage Protest Disruption
Cancelling 29 trains is a heavy decision. It affects thousands of passengers who had no connection to the CJP protest or its demands. In our view, the railways should have explored alternatives — such as running trains to nearby stations or adjusting schedules — before pulling the plug on so many services.
That said, the railways are caught in a difficult spot. If a major protest blocks roads and creates safety risks around New Delhi railway station, running trains into that situation could be worse. The real question is why a protest by one party against the Chief Election Commissioner requires this level of disruption to public transport.
For readers, the practical takeaway is simple: if you have a Saturday train booking to New Delhi under the Ambala division, check your ticket status now. Do not assume your train is running. Plan an alternative or postpone your trip. The disruption is real, and it is happening because of a political protest — not because of anything wrong with the trains themselves.
