Amid the proposed nationwide bank strike from September 28 to 30, the State Bank of India (SBI) has offered significant relief to customers by announcing that no charges will be levied on ATM transactions during the strike period. The bank stated that this decision aims to ensure uninterrupted banking services for customers and mitigate the potential impact of the strike.
In a post on the social media platform X, SBI stated that its services would remain available to meet customers’ banking needs even during the proposed strike. Consequently, no fees will be charged for transactions made at any bank’s ATM between September 28 and September 30, 2026.
The bank also announced that, for the convenience of customers, all its branches will remain open on Sunday, September 27. Furthermore, online payment services such as UPI, IMPS, RTGS, and NEFT will continue to operate normally, ensuring no disruption to digital transactions.
Keeping the banking needs of the general public in mind, the government has also directed public sector banks to remain open on Sunday. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has authorized the full operation of all bank branches, offices, ATM-linked branches, and currency chests on September 27.
The Ministry of Finance stated that all public sector banks and regional rural banks will function normally on Sunday. According to the Ministry, the three-day strike proposed by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) from September 28 to 30 coincides with the preceding weekend holidays on September 26 and 27; without special arrangements, banking activities could have been disrupted for five consecutive days.
The government maintains that the convenience of citizens and the availability of banking services are its top priorities. For this reason, the government and bank management have appealed to the unions to defer the proposed strike. At the same time, necessary steps have been taken to ensure that essential banking services continue without interruption.
