If you have banking work planned for today, Sunday, September 27, 2026, there is an important update. Public sector banks (PSBs) and regional rural banks (RRBs) are set to remain operational today ahead of a proposed three-day nationwide bank strike from September 28 to September 30.
However, the arrangement does not necessarily apply to private sector banks. The Finance Ministry’s direction is for public sector banks and regional rural banks, so customers of private banks should check with their respective bank before visiting a branch.
Why are banks opening on Sunday?
The decision to open PSBs and RRBs on Sunday was taken after a meeting held on September 21 involving officials from the Finance Ministry, public sector banks, regional rural banks, the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) and NABARD.
The move comes ahead of the proposed three-day nationwide bank strike from September 28 to September 30. Since September 26 and 27 fall on the weekend, keeping banks closed on both days could have meant that customers would have limited access to regular branch banking services for several consecutive days.
The Sunday opening has therefore been planned to ensure that customers can complete important banking work before the proposed strike.
Which banks are open today?
According to the information provided, public sector banks and regional rural banks are covered under the Sunday opening arrangement.
The public sector banks that will function today include:
- State Bank of India
- Canara Bank
- Bank of Baroda
- Punjab National Bank
- Bank of India
- Indian Bank
- Union Bank of India
- Bank of Maharashtra
- UCO Bank
- Central Bank of India
- Indian Overseas Bank
- Punjab & Sind Bank
There are also 28 regional rural banks covered under the arrangement, including Andhra Pradesh Grameena Bank, Arunachal Pradesh Rural Bank, Assam Gramin Bank, Bihar Gramin Bank, Chhattisgarh Gramin Bank, Gujarat Gramin Bank, Haryana Gramin Bank, Himachal Pradesh Gramin Bank, Jammu and Kashmir Grameen Bank, Jharkhand Gramin Bank, Karnataka Grameena Bank, Kerala Grameena Bank, Madhya Pradesh Gramin Bank, Maharashtra Gramin Bank, Manipur Rural Bank, Meghalaya Rural Bank, Mizoram Rural Bank, Nagaland Rural Bank, Odisha Grameen Bank, Puducherry Grama Bank, Punjab Gramin Bank, Rajasthan Gramin Bank, Tamil Nadu Grama Bank, Telangana Grameena Bank, Tripura Gramin Bank, Uttar Pradesh Gramin Bank, Uttarakhand Gramin Bank and West Bengal Gramin Bank.
What banking services will be available today?
The Reserve Bank of India has granted approval for bank branches, offices, ATM-linked branches and currency chests to remain operational on September 27.
Customers can therefore carry out regular branch-related work at participating banks, subject to the availability of staff.
Digital banking services such as net banking, IMPS, NEFT, RTGS and mobile banking are also expected to remain available.
Are private banks open today?
The Sunday opening direction mentioned in the source material applies to public sector banks and regional rural banks.
Private banks such as HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, IndusInd Bank, Axis Bank, Yes Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank are not obligated to follow the same arrangement under the stated guidelines. Customers using private banks should therefore check their bank’s branch timings before visiting today.
Three-day bank strike from September 28
The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) and other bank unions have proposed a three-day nationwide strike from September 28 to September 30.
The proposed strike follows a one-day bank strike held on September 11. The unions have raised several demands, including the implementation of a five-day banking week, changes related to pensions and modifications concerning DA and pension schemes for some employees.
The government and bank management have appealed to the unions to defer the proposed strike and have taken measures aimed at ensuring the continued availability of essential banking services.
For customers, September 27 therefore provides an opportunity to complete necessary branch banking work before the proposed strike begins on September 28.
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