India’s Ministry of Finance issued an extraordinary directive on 23 September requiring all public-sector and regional-rural bank branches—as well as ATMs and currency chests—to open on Sunday, 27 September. The move aims to mitigate the impact of a three-day nationwide bank strike called by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) for 28-30 September, which would otherwise coincide with regular weekend closures. For inbound travellers and expatriates, uninterrupted access to cash services is vital because many immigration-related fees—such as visa-extension penalties paid at FRRO offices—must be settled via bank challans or demand drafts. The strike could also impede foreign-exchange conversions at airport branches and downtown counters. By mandating Sunday operations, the government hopes to reduce queues at ATMs, enable travellers to preload cash before the strike and ensure that digital-payment settlement systems have sufficient liquidity. Reserve Bank of India approval has been granted for extended hours, and banks have been told to stock cash in coastal tourist hubs such as Goa and Kerala, which expect heavy holiday traffic ahead of the long Gandhi Jayanti weekend. Corporate travel managers should alert assignees arriving between 26 September and 1 October to withdraw adequate cash or ensure functioning UPI/e-wallet options. Multinationals with payroll runs or per-diem disbursements during the strike window may consider advancing payments or using alternative remittance channels. The episode highlights an emerging mobility risk: industrial action in India’s essential-service sectors can ripple into immigration compliance and day-to-day living for foreigners. Building contingency cash-management plans is increasingly a best practice for global-mobility programmes.
Source: Press Information Bureau
