On Sunday, Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan went to Clayton South to remind travellers in Melbourne's south-east that Murrumbeena and Carnegie railway stations would close on Sunday night for four weeks.

The closures are part of the controversial sky rail project – the removal of nine level crossings by elevating the railway line between Caulfield and Dandenong. Construction begins this week.

The $1.6 billion project will incorporate the removal of nine of Melbourne's most congested level crossings and the rebuilding of five railway stations by 2018 – just in time for the next state election.

This week, the installation of two 140-tonne rigs with "masts" up to 30 metres tall will begin. They will install more than 1000 piles along the rail corridor in preparation for the arrival of gantry cranes later this year.

The cranes will lift into place 2500 segments of elevated rail line, meaning trains will be able to run on Melbourne's busiest line while the works are done.

About 800,000 passengers start their journey at Murrumbeena each year, according to the government's most recently recorded station patronage figures, while 950,000 get on at Carnegie.

Both stations will close from Sunday so the piling works can begin. Temporary stations will open four weeks later at the two locations. These will remain open during the two-year construction period.

Ms Allan said residents in the area would experience "short-term construction impacts" but would get new stations and experience less road congestion once the project was complete.

She conceded there would probably be some traffic problems arising from the works at the railway stations. "We will perhaps see some increase in traffic," she said. The government hoped pre-planning work by VicRoads and others would lessen the impact, she said.

Ms Allan said Murrumbeena would be a particular centre for works on the massive project. "For the next four weeks … there will be dedicated bus replacements and there is additional car parking being provided at nearby stations as well," she said. "The train line is going to continue to keep running during this period of time."

Two stations on the Frankston line that were part of the far less controversial sinking of the line will reopen.

Ormond station was closed for level crossing removal works at the end of March, while Bentleigh station was shut at the start of June.

Public Transport Users Association spokesman Daniel Bowen – who lives in the area and has experienced first hand the disruption – said locals and train passengers would welcome the reopening of the stations after months of bus replacement services.

"The closures have also been very disruptive for local traders, and while minor works will continue for some months, local residents are relieved that the end is in sight," he said.