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Rail traffic through Pune is set for major disruption in late September as the Pune Railway Division prepares a mega block to commission a crucial third line between Hadapsar and the Ghorpadi Coach Maintenance Complex, affecting dozens of long-distance express and local services over a 15-day period.
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Third line commissioning triggers 15-day mega block
Publicly available information shows that Central Railway’s Pune Division will enforce phased traffic blocks between September 19 and October 4, 2026, to complete third line commissioning and yard remodelling between Hadapsar, Pune Junction and the Ghorpadi Coach Maintenance Complex. The work includes pre-non-interlocking and non-interlocking phases in the busy suburban and mainline corridors east of Pune.
Reports indicate that around 67 trains will be impacted during this window, with cancellations, diversions, short terminations, short originations and rescheduling across multiple days. The blocks are timed to facilitate commissioning of new track, signalling and overhead equipment, all of which are required before the third line can be brought into regular use.
The third line project has been in progress as part of a wider capacity enhancement push in the Pune area, which handles dense passenger and freight traffic linking Mumbai, Solapur, Daund, Manmad and central India. Commissioning the Hadapsar–Pune–GCMC third line is expected to ease congestion in and out of Pune Yard, but railway users face significant short term disruption while the remaining works are completed.
Recent notices and regional coverage describe similar long-duration blocks in the division this year for the Nira yard remodelling on the Pune–Miraj route and the Daund–Manmad doubling, underlining how infrastructure upgrades are being concentrated into a series of intensive work windows through 2026.
Express and intercity services among worst hit
The upcoming block will affect a broad mix of passenger services, but express and intercity trains are among the most heavily impacted. According to published coverage, the Pune–Solapur and Solapur–Pune Intercity Superfast Express services are scheduled to remain cancelled from September 19 to 23 and again on October 3 and 4, temporarily cutting an important daytime link between the two cities.
Further notices collated by rail-focused outlets highlight repercussions for long-distance services routed through Pune and Hadapsar. These include selected trips of the Jammu Tawi–Pune Express, Pune–Jammu Tawi Express and services running between Hazrat Nizamuddin and Vasco da Gama, where journeys on specified dates will be cancelled, curtailed or diverted away from the affected section during the block period.
Infrastructure updates also show changes to services operated by other zones over the route. For example, recent announcements detail that several West Central Railway trains will face short termination, short origination, route diversion or rescheduling on specific days because of the Hadapsar–Pune–GCMC third line work, illustrating how the impact extends beyond Central Railway’s own originating services.
These express and intercity disruptions come on top of earlier 2026 blocks in the division, such as the nine-hour Pune Yard block in early July and the June block on the Pune–Daund section for signalling and overhead equipment works, both of which led to cancellation or diversion of popular trains including the Deccan Express.
Local, suburban and DEMU services also curtailed
The mega block will not only affect long-distance travellers. Suburban, DEMU and other local services through Pune Junction, Hadapsar and nearby stations are also expected to see adjustments while track and signalling assets are taken out of service for commissioning.
Earlier this year, a special traffic and power block in Pune Yard for separate infrastructure works led to the cancellation, partial cancellation and regulation of multiple suburban and DEMU trains, with platforms and approach lines temporarily unavailable. The pattern provides a reference for what local passengers might expect during the forthcoming third line block, although exact timings and train lists will vary across the September 19 to October 4 window.
Recent Pune-specific bulletins on the third line project also highlight changes to select regional services, such as alterations to the Gwalior–Daund Express, which is scheduled to run only up to Khadki on certain days while the work is under way. These modifications indicate the type of temporary arrangements likely to be used to maintain at least partial connectivity where possible.
Passengers who rely on Pune’s suburban and shuttle services for commuting into the city from surrounding areas may therefore face longer journey times, altered departure points or the need to use alternative modes on days when key local trains are cancelled or short terminated.
Why the third line matters for Pune’s rail network
The Hadapsar–Pune–GCMC third line and associated yard remodelling works are part of a wider programme to increase capacity and operational flexibility in and around Pune. Official planning documents and project reports describe a series of upgrades in the Pune area, including additional running lines, extended platforms and new or modernised yards to handle more trains and reduce congestion.
The section between Hadapsar and Ghorpadi is particularly significant because it sits at the junction of routes towards Daund, Solapur and beyond, as well as handling coach maintenance movements to and from the Ghorpadi complex. With only two main lines, even minor incidents or maintenance can quickly cascade into delays. A dedicated third line is intended to create more routing options for through trains and yard movements.
Earlier phases of work in the division, such as doubling and yard remodelling on the Pune–Miraj and Daund–Manmad corridors, have already involved extended Pre-Non-Interlocking and Non-Interlocking blocks, suggesting that the railway is following a consistent strategy of concentrated works followed by incremental commissioning of new assets.
Once operational, the new third line is expected to help accommodate future growth in both passenger and freight traffic through Pune, potentially paving the way for more frequent services and improved punctuality over the medium to long term. In the short term, however, the commissioning effort requires careful management of train flows and acceptance of temporary inconvenience for users.
What rail passengers should do during the mega block
With disruptions spread across more than two weeks, journey planning will be critical for anyone travelling via Pune from late September to early October. Railway information portals and media reports consistently advise passengers affected by such blocks to verify the latest status of their train on official enquiry systems, mobile applications or station noticeboards before setting out.
The detailed programme for the Pune third line block includes different patterns of cancellations and diversions on different days, depending on whether work is concentrated at Hadapsar yard, within Pune Yard or on the approaches towards Ghorpadi. In some cases, trains will operate over alternate routes via Daund or other junctions, while in others, services will originate or terminate short of Pune to avoid the affected section.
Passengers with flexible travel dates may find it easier to avoid the most intensive block days, particularly in the first phase from September 19 to 23 and the final weekend around October 3 and 4, when a concentration of express and intercity cancellations is scheduled. Those with fixed commitments are likely to need contingency plans, such as booking alternative trains on unaffected routes, using state transport buses or coordinating shared road travel.
For regular commuters on local and DEMU services, keeping track of daily timetable changes will be essential. Experience from previous blocks in 2026 suggests that crowding can increase on remaining services, making it advisable to allow extra time for boarding and connections, especially at major interchanges like Pune Junction, Hadapsar and Daund.
Times of India: Pune railway works to disrupt 67 trains
Hindustan Times: Pune–Hadapsar line work, cancellations and diversions