Passengers travelling through Odisha’s Sambalpur Division are advised to plan ahead as several trains face cancellations and route diversions due to essential safety-related modernisation work on the Sambalpur-Sarla section.
The East Coast Railway has announced these temporary changes to ensure smoother and safer operations in the long term, affecting services from January 3 to January 6, 2026.
The modernisation efforts, aimed at enhancing infrastructure and safety standards, will impact both passenger and express trains. Railway officials have urged commuters to check alternative travel options or reschedule journeys to avoid inconvenience.
Cancellations:
- Train No. 58213 (Titlagarh-Bilaspur Passenger) will be cancelled from January 4 to January 6, 2026.
- Train No. 58214 (Bilaspur-Titlagarh Passenger) will be cancelled from January 3 to January 5, 2026.
- Train No. 58217 (Titlagarh-Raipur Passenger) will be cancelled from January 3 to January 5, 2026.
- Train No. 58218 (Raipur-Titlagarh Passenger) will be cancelled from January 4 to January 6, 2026.
These cancellations primarily affect regional passenger services connecting key areas in Chhattisgarh and Odisha, potentially disrupting daily commuters and short-distance travellers.
Diversions:
- Train No. 18125 (Rourkela-Puri Express) will be diverted via the Sarla-Sambalpur City route, bypassing the usual Sarla-Sambalpur-Sambalpur City path, from January 4 to January 6, 2026 (Journey Commencing On or JCO dates).
- Train No. 18126 (Puri-Rourkela Express) will take the Sambalpur City-Sarla route instead of the standard Sambalpur City-Sambalpur-Sarla, from January 4 to January 6, 2026 (JCO dates).
- Train No. 20807 (Visakhapatnam-Amritsar Express) will be rerouted via Sambalpur City-Sarla, avoiding the regular Sambalpur City-Sambalpur-Sarla, on January 6, 2026 (JCO date).
The diversions are expected to add minimal delays but will alter stoppages and timings for affected trains. Passengers are encouraged to verify updates through the Indian Railways’ official website, mobile apps, or enquiry lines.
