Bank Holidays This Week: The commencement of the festive celebrations of Sharadiya Navratri and Durga Puja nationwide marks the highlight of this week. During this auspicious period of honoring the nine forms of Goddess Durga, known as Navdurga, people are curious about whether banks will be closed. Particularly, customers are eager to know the status of major banks like SBI, HDFC, ICICI, and PNB during this time. Let’s explore the details of bank holidays for this week as per the RBI’s official list.
Closure of Banks This Week
Contrary to the belief that banks would be closed nationwide during the seven days of Navratri (October 12 to 18), there is no national holiday scheduled for this week. As per the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) official schedule, most cities in the country will have banks operating normally between October 12 and 18. The only exception to this is in Agartala (Tripura), where bank branches will be closed on October 17 for Maha Saptami. Apart from this, all major cities will have their bank branches open and functioning as usual.
Read More: RBI Takes Steps to Support Rupee, Opens Dollar Treasury for Oil Companies
Read More: Jio AI Glasses: Now Make UPI Payments Without Using Your Smartphone, How?
Read More: PM Kisan Yojana: Farmers May Lose Their 24th Installment, Check What to Do
Upcoming Bank Holidays in October
Following the next phase of Navratri and Durga Puja, as well as other festivals, various states will observe bank holidays in the middle to late October. The RBI holiday list outlines the major holidays ahead:
– October 17: Banks closed in Tripura for Maha Saptami.
– October 19: Banks closed in multiple states for Dussehra, Mahashtami, Mahanavami, Ayudha Puja, and Durga Puja.
– October 20: Banks closed in numerous states for Dussehra, Mahanavami, Ayudha Puja, and Durga Puja.
– October 21: Banks closed in several states for Vijayadashami and Durga Puja.
– October 22 and 23: Banks closed in Sikkim for Durga Puja.
– October 26: Banks closed in Tripura for Lakshmi Puja, Accession Day, and Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti.
– October 29: Banks closed in Chandigarh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh for Karva Chauth.
– October 31: Banks closed in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh for Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s birth anniversary.
Conducting Banking Transactions on Holidays
In case your city observes a bank holiday or if you need to carry out financial transactions on such days, there’s no need to panic. While bank branches are closed, digital services for customers remain fully operational. You can conveniently transfer funds and make payments at any time using UPI, internet banking, and mobile banking. ATM services are also accessible 24/7 for cash withdrawals.
As per RBI guidelines, RTGS services are available round the clock, 365 days a year, even on holidays. However, for tasks that necessitate a visit to a bank branch, such as submitting specific documents or other physical banking activities, you will have to wait until the banks reopen post the holidays.