SBI makes 63 branches functional in flood-hit Kashmir Valley

Despite the extensive damage due to unprecedented floods earlier this month, the State Bank of India (SBI) has made 63 out of their 67 branches fully functional in Kashmir Valley, bank officials said here Monday.

The SBI has not only made 132 ATMs operational in the valley but have also pressed seven mobile ATMs into service in areas of Srinagar city which have been severely flood-affected, said SBI deputy general manager, banking and operations, Arvind Priya.

"Four branches, namely Badshah Chowk, Badami Bagh, Jawahar Nagar and Rajbagh in Srinagar city are in severely inundated areas, which have suffered extensive damage to equipment and shall take some more time to be made operational. Customers of these branches can avail banking facility from nearby branches of our bank for the time being," Priya said.

A total of 132 ATMs in the valley are operating normally and customers are drawing their cash from these ATMs, he said. "SBI has also deployed seven mobile ATMs in still inaccessible points of Srinagar and these are serving a large population."

He said that the SBI technical teams had worked continuously with local staff in the past few days to restore fully normalcy in banking operations in the valley.

"All customers can approach the branches and draw their requirement from ATMs. The ATMs will also be kept operational during ensuing holidays. Now that normalcy of banking operation to a large extent is restored, the SBI will soon launch rehabilitation and restructuring scheme for its affected customers to help them rehabilitate their business quickly," he added.