Banks open on Sunday see brisk turnout ahead of 3-day strike
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Customers avail banking services at the State Bank of India’s Main Branch at Rednam Gardens in Visakhapatnam on Sunday, as public sector banks remain open ahead of the proposed three-day nationwide bank strike from September 28-30. | Photo Credit: V. RAJU
Sunday was a busy day for the banks across Visakhapatnam district and other parts of the State ahead of the three-day nationwide bank strike called by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) from September 28-30.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had approved the functioning of all Public Sector Banks (PSBs) and Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) branches, along with ATMs, ATM-linked outlets and currency chests, on Sunday, a step intended to cushion the impact of the strike coinciding with the preceding weekend holidays of September 26 and 27.
The UFBU, an umbrella body of seven unions, is pressing chiefly for a five-day working week for banks, besides other issues such as pension revision and staff recruitment.
Customer advisories pasted on the glass doors of several branches urged account holders to complete essential transactions in advance of the strike dates, and to rely on ATMs, Customer Service Points and digital channels such as Internet banking, “YONO”, mobile banking and UPI during the strike period.
Similar scenes played out at bank branches in other places across the State, with customers turning up in large numbers to complete transactions ahead of the strike.
At the State Bank of India’s main branch in Visakhapatnam, the response was significant.
“Following the instructions of the RBI, all the PSBs and RRBs across the country are open and working normally today [Sunday]. Ours is the main branch, and we offered our services at full strength. Today, being a weekend, we served over 200 customers so far, as we do on a Saturday or a Monday,” Assistant General Manager at SBI Visakhapatnam, Kunjaban Bag said.
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