SBI Waives All Other-Bank ATM Charges for 3 Days Ahead of Mega Bank Strike

• by Akanksha Mishra
• 2026-09-25 20:15:00

Bringing immediate relief to millions of account holders facing impending nationwide banking disruptions, the State Bank of India (SBI) has officially announced a total waiver of transaction fees on cash withdrawals made across any commercial bank's automated teller machines (ATMs). This customer-centric waiver will remain active for three consecutive days—from September 28 to September 30, 2026—coinciding directly with a three-day national bank strike called by apex trade unions. Under this temporary policy, SBI debit cardholders will not need to search for exclusive SBI cash points; they can access liquid cash at any operational third-party bank ATM without incurring interbank interchange fees or exceeding their monthly free withdrawal caps.

UFBU 3-Day Strike Trigger: Five-Day Work Week Demand Behind Branch Shutdowns

The catalyst behind this financial concession is a three-day nationwide strike declared by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), an umbrella coalition representing nine major bank officer and staff associations across India. The trade unions are pressing the Union Ministry of Finance and the Indian Banks' Association (IBA) for the formal implementation of a five-day working week structure, which would designate all Saturdays as statutory banking holidays alongside Sundays. With physical branch counters, cheque clearances, and in-person clerical services anticipated to face severe operational paralysis from Monday, September 28 through Wednesday, September 30, SBI management rolled out the ATM fee waiver to insulate customers against acute liquidity shortages, while aggressively nudging patrons toward internet banking, UPI, and digital platforms.

Sunday Counter Relief: Branches Ordered Open on September 27 for In-Person Banking

To further cushion the general public from transactional gridlock, the central government has mandated all public sector banks (PSBs) and Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) to keep their brick-and-mortar branches fully operational on Sunday, September 27, 2026. This special weekend opening serves as a critical pre-strike window, allowing retail customers, small business owners, and corporate clients to complete pressing counter tasks—such as high-value physical cash deposits, demand draft issuances, document submissions, and specialized non-digital locker protocols—prior to the three-day union walkout on Monday morning.

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