Bank services likely to be hit from September 11-14; SLBC advises people to plan ahead, use digital channels

Ahead of a one-day nationwide strike called by an influential umbrella body of bank officers and employees, which with the weekend and a holiday that follows will ensure no branch operations for four days consecutively, banks in Telangana have advised customers to plan ahead.

While efforts are being made to extend skeleton services at branches and offices during the strike period, customers may experience inconvenience in the event normal operations are affected, the Convenor of State Level Bankers’ Committee, Telangana, said.

In view of the strike call given by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) from the midnight of Thursday (September 10, 2026) to midnight of Friday (September 11, 2026), the customers were requested to plan and complete their banking transactions well in advance to avoid inconvenience, the SLBC said. It also advised to make use of ATMs for their cash requirements and prefer internet banking, UPI and other digital banking channels. “The bank sincerely regrets the inconvenience that may be caused to our customers due to the proposed strike,” the bankers body said.

Extended weekend

If the strike materialises, no branch banking such as cheque deposits, cash withdrawals through tellers, processing of home, automobile or gold loans is likely on Friday (September 11, 2026). Banks will be closed on the second Saturday and Sunday. Monday will be a holiday on account of Ganesh Chaturthi.

6,801 public and private bank branches across Telangana

India’s largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) is the Convenor of the SLBC in Telangana. As per official numbers, updated till June 30, 2026, there are 6,801 branches of public and private banks across the State.

Of these, 3,324 branches are of public sector banks where the strike impact will be felt severely with the UFBU affiliates drawing most of their memberships from among the employees and officers across PSBs. The number of urban branches are 1,615, while the rest is almost equally split between rural and semi-urban locations.

With 1,301 branches, State Bank of India (SBI) accounts for nearly 40% of the bank branches in the State.

Five-day week and other demands

The UFBU that comprises nine unions, which together represent lakhs of employees and officers across banks, has given the September 11 strike call as a first step of a multi-pronged agitation in support of various demands, including implementation of a five-day week and opposing a performance linked incentive (PLI) scheme proposed by the government. An indefinite strike also figures in the protest plans of the Forum.

Though the Centre earlier this week said the implementation of the PLI Scheme dated 19.11.2024 for Financial Year (FY) 2025–26 will be kept in abeyance and discussed during ongoing bipartite settlement/ joint note discussions, the move seem to have little effect with the UFBU remaining firm on the strike.

Last minute parleys leading to the withdrawal of the strike call cannot be ruled out, particularly with Delhi set to play host to the prestigious BRICS summit.