Bank Holiday Today, August 28: Are SBI, HDFC, ICICI, other bank branches open in your city?
Bank Holiday Today: Bank branches in India will remain closed in 13 cities on Friday, August 28, 2026, due to regional holidays, including Raksha Bandhan, Pang-Lhabsol, Sree Narayana Guru Jayanthi and Ayyankali Jayanthi. However, customers can continue to access digital banking services, including internet banking, mobile banking, UPI and ATMs.
Customers of State Bank of India (SBI), HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Punjab National Bank and other financial institutions should note that bank branches will remain shut in select cities on August 28.
As per the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) bank holiday schedule, holidays vary across states and cities depending on regional festivals and occasions. Therefore, branches in several cities will not operate on Friday.
Are banks closed on August 28, 2026?
On Friday, August 28, banks will remain closed in the following cities for Raksha Bandhan, Pang-Lhabsol, Sree Narayana Guru Jayanthi, Ayyankali Jayanthi and other regional observances, as per the RBI holiday list:
- Ahmedabad
- Bhopal
- Dehradun
- Gangtok
- Jaipur
- Jammu
- Kanpur
- Kochi
- Lucknow
- Raipur
- Shimla
- Srinagar
- Thiruvananthapuram
Customers in these cities are advised to plan branch visits accordingly and complete important banking work before the holiday.
Why are banks closed on August 28?
Raksha Bandhan is a traditional Hindu festival celebrating the bond between brothers and sisters. On the occasion, sisters tie a rakhi around their brothers’ wrists as a symbol of love, protection and well-being.
Pang-Lhabsol is an annual festival observed in Sikkim that honours Mount Khangchendzonga (Kanchenjunga), regarded as the guardian deity of the state. The festival also commemorates a historic blood-brotherhood treaty.
Sree Narayana Guru Jayanthi marks the birth anniversary of Sree Narayana Guru, a revered saint, philosopher and social reformer, and is a major festival in Kerala.
Ayyankali Jayanthi is observed in Kerala to commemorate the birth anniversary of social reformer Mahatma Ayyankali.
The Friday following Eid-i-Milad-ul-Nabi is also observed as a significant day of communal prayer and a public holiday in Jammu and Kashmir.
Bank holidays from August 28 to August 31, 2026
Banks will observe additional holidays in different regions over the coming days.
August 28 (Friday): Banks in Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Dehradun, Gangtok, Jaipur, Jammu, Kanpur, Kochi, Lucknow, Raipur, Shimla, Srinagar and Thiruvananthapuram will remain closed due to Raksha Bandhan, Pang-Lhabsol, Sree Narayana Guru Jayanthi, Ayyankali Jayanthi and other regional observances.
August 30 (Sunday): Banks across India will remain closed for the weekly Sunday holiday.
Customers should note that even when physical bank branches are closed, digital banking services such as UPI, mobile banking, internet banking and ATMs generally remain available.
RBI Holiday Categories
The RBI categorises bank holidays into three main types:
1) Holidays under the Negotiable Instruments Act–These affect cheque clearing and branch-based banking services at the national or state level.
2) RTGS Holidays–Days when Real Time Gross Settlement transactions are not processed through bank branches.
3) Bank Closing of Accounts–Typically observed on April 1 for annual account closing.
Do online banking services remain available?
Yes, despite physical branches being closed, digital and online banking services remain fully operational.
24/7 Availability: RTGS, NEFT, UPI and internet banking services operate continuously throughout the holidays. Customers can use the digital banking services to transfer funds, pay bills and shop online at any hour of the day, including Sundays, second and fourth Saturdays and on official bank holidays.
Transaction Processing: Digital transactions reach completion in less than one minute or within thirty minutes in most situations. When a user performs a payment through mobile banking or internet banking, the transaction will process without any delays during holidays.
Branch Limitations: Physical bank branches have restrictions, while digital channels enable users to access all services without interruptions. Bank branches will not process RTGS transactions that customers initiate at the branch during holidays or during the second and fourth Saturdays when the branch remains closed. The bank only processes transactions that customers submit through its online digital platforms during these specific times.
