With the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) organizing a three-day nationwide strike from September 28 to September 30, regular in-branch operations at public sector and regional rural banks will experience disruptions.
While physical branches face temporary closures, core digital and alternative channels remain fully active to ensure customers can manage day-to-day financial needs without major disruption.
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UPI Transactions: The Unified Payment Interface (UPI) will run as usual for peer-to-peer transfers, merchant payments, and online shopping.
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ATM Cash Withdrawals: Cash withdrawals and balance inquiries at standard ATMs across networks remain operational, subject to regular cash replenishment schedules.
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Mobile & Internet Banking: Banking apps and online web portals stay fully accessible for monitoring accounts, reviewing mini-statements, and managing preferences.
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Online Fund Transfers: Digital channels support NEFT, RTGS, and IMPS electronic transfers for eligible accounts.
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Utility Bill Payments: Automated clearing houses and digital apps continue to process recurring electricity, water, mobile, and broadband bills.
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Cash Deposit / Withdrawal Machines (ADWMs): Automated cash deposit and dispensing kiosks function as alternatives to branch counters, depending on local availability.
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Customer Service Points (BCs): Business Correspondent and micro-ATM touchpoints run by public sector banks offer localized assistance where available.
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Loan and Credit Card Applications: Applications for new credit cards, personal loans, or housing loans can be processed online directly via official bank portals.
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Cheque Clearing (Digital Truncation): Standard automated clearing systems process pre-submitted digital cheques, though manual verification and clearance may face minor processing delays.
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Customer Support Chatbots: Automated AI chatbots and interactive voice response (IVR) helplines remain active for general account guidance and card-blocking services.
Note: To mitigate the impact of the strike coinciding with the end-of-month and half-yearly financial closing periods, the government and the Reserve Bank of India authorized public sector bank branches to operate normally on Sunday, September 27.
