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Customers of the country’s largest public sector lender, the State Bank of India, may face banking disruptions over the coming days as a combination of employee strikes, weekend closures, and festival holidays is expected to affect branch operations across several parts of India.

If you have any pending banking-related work such as cash deposits, cheque clearance, passbook updates, demand drafts, loan documentation, or branch-based transactions, experts advise completing them immediately to avoid inconvenience.

According to reports, banking services in several SBI branches could remain affected between May 23 and May 28 due to multiple overlapping reasons, including a nationwide bank employees’ strike and Bakrid holidays in many states.

Why SBI Branches May Remain Shut

The disruption period includes several non-working days and strike actions that could impact normal banking operations.

Bank Employees’ Strike on May 25 and 26

Bank employee unions have reportedly announced a two-day strike on May 25 and May 26. During this period, branch-level operations at many SBI offices across the country may slow down significantly or remain partially suspended.

Customers visiting branches for physical banking services could experience delays in transactions, customer support, document verification, and other essential services.

Weekend and Bakrid Holidays Add to Disruptions

Apart from the strike, regular weekend closures are also contributing to the extended disruption period.

In addition, May 27 coincides with Bakrid (Eid-ul-Adha) celebrations in several states. Because of the public holiday, banks in many regions are expected to remain closed.

The combination of these events may result in limited branch operations for several consecutive days in some locations.

Will ATM and UPI Services Stop Working?

One of the biggest concerns among customers is whether digital banking services such as ATMs, UPI payments, internet banking, and mobile banking will also stop functioning during the strike period.

At present, there is no indication that core digital banking systems will be suspended nationwide. Customers are expected to continue using:

• ATM cash withdrawals
• UPI payment apps
• Mobile banking services
• Internet banking portals
• Debit and credit card transactions

However, experts warn that temporary delays in certain banking settlements or branch-linked services may still occur depending on workload and technical processing capacity.

Customers are therefore advised to keep sufficient cash available and complete urgent fund transfers before the strike period begins.

Services That Could Be Affected

While online banking is likely to continue functioning, several physical and branch-dependent services may experience disruption, including:

• Cash deposit and withdrawal at branches
• Cheque clearance processing
• Demand draft issuance
• Account opening services
• Loan-related documentation
• KYC verification
• Passbook printing and updates

Customers planning important financial transactions, especially business payments or property-related banking work, should avoid waiting until the last minute.

What SBI Customers Should Do Now

Financial experts recommend that SBI customers prepare in advance to avoid unnecessary inconvenience during the disruption period.

Important Precautions for Customers

• Withdraw sufficient cash if needed
• Complete cheque deposits early
• Finish branch-related work before May 23
• Activate and test mobile banking services
• Keep UPI apps updated and linked properly
• Monitor official SBI announcements regularly

Customers should also rely only on official notifications from SBI Official Website and avoid believing unverified social media messages regarding banking closures.

Banking Sector Faces Frequent Operational Challenges

The upcoming strike once again highlights how employee protests and festival holidays can affect traditional branch banking operations in India. While digital banking infrastructure has reduced dependency on physical branches, many customers still rely heavily on in-person services for critical financial work.

As the situation develops, customers are advised to stay alert, plan transactions carefully, and use digital banking channels whenever possible to avoid disruptions during the extended closure period.