SBI to conduct fire safety audit in various branches across the country

The measure comes in the wake of the fire accident took place in a major branch premises in Chennai

State Bank of India (SBI) would be looking at conducting a Fire Safety Audit in various branches across the country to ensure the safety of its branches, in the backdrop of the fire accident occured in its age old branch in Parry's, in Chennai. While the branches go through the audit as a regular procedure, the security measures would be counter-checked in the backdrop of the accident, said P S Prakash Rao, Chief General Manager, SBI.

Speaking to the reporters in the sidelines of opening the relocated Rajaji Salai Branch, one of the three branches operating in the building in Parry's, Chennai, where the fire broke out on Saturday afternoon, Rao said that all its branches has various fire safety measures in place.

The Bank is taking all steps for the convenience of the customers. He added that while the furniture and some of the files were damaged in fire and water, while there is no data loss, since the soft copy of the real time data were saved in computers. The deposits and valuables of the customers are safe.

The assessment on the potential loss due to the fire in the premises of the Bank's Chennai Main Branch building, where the two customer facing branches - Chennai Main Branch and Rajaji Salai Branch - along with SME Chennai Branch, has not been completed, he said. Fire broke out in the premises at around 3.30 in the afternoon on Saturday, which was later controlled by the fire fighters.

On Monday, the Bank announced that the Chennai Main Branch will now function at the Broadway Branch, Rajaji Salai Branch at Station Road, Egmore and SME Chennai Branch at SME T Nagar Branch, T Nagar, in Chennai city. All the safety lockers with the valuables of the customers were shifted to the new building and the Branch has started operations, he added.

"We assure our valued customers that we are making all efforts to ensure that there is no inconvenience caused to them," said an announcement from the Bank. The branches would work from these locations until further notification. The Bank has around 200 branches in Chennai city alone, said Rao.