New Delhi, Sep 24: Public sector banks and regional rural banks will remain open on Sunday, September 27, as the government takes steps to ensure that customers have access to essential banking services ahead of a proposed three-day nationwide strike from September 28 to 30.
The Sunday opening is intended to provide customers with an additional working day to complete important branch-related transactions. Without the arrangement, the proposed strike would come immediately after the weekend holidays, potentially leaving customers with limited access to physical banking services for several consecutive days.
The Reserve Bank of India has approved the operation of bank branches, offices, ATM-linked branches and currency chests on September 27. The move is aimed at keeping essential banking services available and reducing inconvenience to the public.
The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) has called the proposed strike from September 28 to 30 over several demands, with the implementation of a five-day banking week among the key issues. The strike would also coincide with the banking sector's half-yearly closing on September 30, making continuity of financial operations particularly important for businesses and institutions.
The government and bank managements have appealed to the unions to defer the strike and continue discussions. At the same time, contingency measures are being put in place to minimise the impact on customers.
Banks have been advised to maintain adequate cash availability at ATMs and ensure that essential services continue during the disruption. Digital channels such as UPI, mobile banking, internet banking and ATMs are expected to remain important alternatives for customers during the strike period, although branch-dependent services could face delays.
The government has also taken steps to avoid delays in salary and pension payments for central government employees. September salaries, wages and pensions have been permitted to be disbursed in advance on September 25, ahead of the proposed strike.
For customers, the Sunday opening provides an opportunity to complete urgent branch transactions before the strike begins. Businesses and individuals with time-sensitive work such as cheque-related services, account requests or other branch-level requirements may also benefit from completing them early.
The proposed strike comes at an important point in the banking calendar, with the September 30 half-yearly closing requiring banks to complete reconciliation, provisioning and other financial processes.
The government's measures are therefore focused on limiting the disruption to customers while ensuring that essential banking infrastructure remains accessible. With digital banking already handling a large share of routine transactions, customers can also use online and mobile services where branch visits are not necessary.
