Kohima: Banking operations in Zunheboto town stalled on Sunday. Some branches stayed shut. Others opened their doors to empty lobbies. Customers stayed home, despite special arrangements meant to help them finish transactions before a three-day nationwide strike kicks off September 28 through September 30.
The United Forum of Bank Unions called the walkout to demand a five-day banking week. The Ministry of Finance and the Reserve Bank of India ordered Public Sector Banks and Regional Rural Banks to stay open Sunday. They wanted to prevent long service interruptions. The RBI also greenlit operations for ATM-linked branches and currency chests.
Operations in town were inconsistent. The Nagaland State Cooperative Bank and HDFC Bank remained closed. The SBI Main Branch functioned only partially. The SBI Bazar Branch opened its doors but hit a wall: a network failure killed all transactions. Axis Bank stayed open for business.
Expect service gaps. The strike will mostly hammer in-person branch tasks. Most digital banking, UPI, and ATM services should hold up unless tech glitches occur. Regarding the impact, one source noted, "Banking operations in Zunheboto town presented a mixed picture on Sunday."
Updated at 28th September 2026 at 9:47am
The push to keep branches open on the Sabbath drew heat from the Nagaland Baptist Church Council. Church leaders argued that officials show a selective disregard for Sunday as a day of worship when economic or administrative interests take priority. While acknowledging the need for smooth banking, the council blasted the inconsistency of scheduling public exercises on the holy day without offering the same sensitivity to Christian traditions.
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