New Delhi: Planning to visit your bank soon? You may want to check the holiday schedule first. Banks across the country are set to remain closed for the next four days, This means regular branch services will not be available during this period. January 24 falls on the fourth Saturday of the month and as per the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines, banks remain shut on the second and fourth Saturdays. Since it is the fourth Saturday, bank branches will stay closed.
Banks To Remain Closed For Four Consecutive Days
If you have any bank-related work lined up, you may want to plan accordingly. Banks will remain shut for four days in a row from January 24 to January 27 due to a combination of scheduled holidays and a proposed strike. While branches will be closed, customers can continue using digital services such as net banking, mobile apps, UPI and ATMs to withdraw or transfer money. Bill payments and other online transactions will also remain available.
Following the fourth Saturday holiday on January 24, banks will remain closed on January 25 due to Sunday. January 26 is a national holiday on account of Republic Day, and bank unions have announced a strike on January 27. If the strike goes ahead, banking services at branches will not be available that day either.
Bank Unions Plan Nationwide Strike on January 27
Bank services could be affected on January 27 as employee unions prepare for a nationwide strike. The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) has called for the protest, demanding that banks adopt a five-day work week. The union argues that a five-day schedule would help reduce workload and improve efficiency for employees. It has been pointed out that most government offices and several financial institutions already follow a Monday-to-Friday work routine.
As part of its proposal, the UFBU has suggested keeping banks closed on Saturdays by adding 40 extra minutes to working hours from Monday to Friday. Notably, institutions such as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), LIC, stock markets, forex, and money markets already remain closed every Saturday.
What Has SBI Said?
The State Bank of India (SBI) has alerted its customers that some banking services may be disrupted if the proposed strike goes ahead. In an advisory, the bank said it will try to keep essential services running to minimise inconvenience. For cash needs, SBI has advised customers to use ATMs or Automated Deposit and Withdrawal Machines (ADWMs). For other basic services, customers can visit nearby Customer Service Points (CSPs).
The bank has also encouraged customers to rely on digital options such as net banking, the YONO app, mobile banking and UPI to carry out transactions during this period.
