SBI, PNB and other public banks waive excess ATM fees during September strike
Public-sector banks including SBI, PNB and Bank of Baroda will waive ATM transaction charges beyond monthly free limits during the Sept. 28–30, 2026 bank strike, aiming to preserve customer cash access while branches are disrupted.
What happened
State Bank of India · Public-sector banks including SBI and Bank of Baroda will waive ATM transaction charges beyond free monthly limits during the September
Key facts
- Three-day bank strike
- September 28-30, 2026
- Five free withdrawals at own-bank ATMs monthly
- Three free withdrawals at other-bank ATMs in six large metros
- Five free withdrawals at other-bank ATMs elsewhere
- Roughly 90% of banking workforce represented by United Forum of Bank Unions
- Sunday, September 27, 2026
Why this matters
ATM network operators, fintechs and cash-management partners may find partnership opportunities as banks seek scalable ways to maintain customer access during strike-driven branch outages.
What to watch
- ATM withdrawal volumes and average withdrawal size versus the prior week and comparable month-end periods
- ATM cash-out rates, transaction declines, downtime and delayed cash replenishment in major cities and rural districts
- UPI transaction volumes, payment success rates and merchant-side acceptance issues during Sept. 28-30
- Whether the strike expands, is withdrawn, or disrupts clearing, cheque processing, cash deposits and customer support beyond branch operations
- Announcements extending the fee waiver, raising ATM withdrawal limits, or offering compensation for failed transactions
- Customer complaint trends on social media and through banking ombudsman channels
- Retailer reports of cash shortages, delayed deposits or increased use of digital payments
- Public banks will likely pre-position cash at high-traffic ATMs, increase replenishment frequency and monitor outage and decline rates in real time.
- Banks may issue customer advisories directing users to UPI, debit cards, mobile banking and nearby functioning ATMs before the strike begins.
- Large retailers and cash-heavy merchants may increase till cash, accelerate pre-strike deposits and rely more heavily on digital-payment acceptance during the disruption.
- Bank management may track incremental ATM transactions, interchange expense, complaint volumes and digital-channel usage to determine whether to repeat the waiver in future strikes.
- Private banks and payment apps may promote uninterrupted digital access, attempting to capture customer engagement while public-sector branch service is constrained.