Banks across the country are set to remain closed for four consecutive days starting Saturday, January 24.
Customers are advised to complete any urgent bank-related work in advance, as branch operations will be suspended during this period.The closures begin with Saturday, January 24, followed by Sunday, January 25. Monday, January 26, will also be a holiday due to Republic Day. In addition, bank employee unions have called for a nationwide strike on Tuesday, January 27, demanding the implementation of a five-day workweek and a holiday on all Saturdays.While physical banking services at branches will remain unavailable, online services will continue to function normally. Mobile banking, internet banking, UPI services, and ATMs will remain operational throughout the four days.
The government is trying to prevent the strike. Talks were held with bank unions in Delhi on January 22, but no agreement was reached. Another round of discussions is scheduled for January 23. If a consensus is achieved, the strike may be called off, as has happened in the past. However, if talks fail, banks will remain shut on January 27 as planned.
Bank unions have been demanding a five-day banking system for a long time. The Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) has proposed declaring all Saturdays as holidays, with employees working an extra 40 minutes on weekdays to ensure productivity is not affected. The proposal is still under consideration by the government.
Until a final decision is announced, customers are advised to plan their banking needs accordingly.
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