This Kedarnath, too, managed to hold his own

SBI Agasthamuni kept bank open and catered to customers amidst all chaos that ensued as Mandakini began raising to alarming levels

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It was not just Lord Kedarnath who held fort amid death and destruction all around. Holding his own, similarly, was a man who kept his cool and delivered even as his town, Agastyamuni, was being battered by the fury of the river Mandakini.

Kedarnath Chhibber, the manager of State Bank of India’s Agastyamuni branch ensured that the bank stayed open and catered to customers, even in the face of chaos as the Mandakini rose to an alarming level and washed away part of the town’s main market in the afternoon of June 17.

“What happened was unimaginable,” says a bespectacled and balding Chhibber, who has been managing the branch for the past six months. “As people saw the flood situation worsening, they feared the worst and wanted to withdraw all their deposits,” he adds.

Facing a mini bank run, Chhibber decided to put a cap on withdrawals. “For the first two-three days, we had to limit withdrawals to a maximum of Rs 10,000. Things cooled down a bit after that as waters began to recede,” he informs.

However, the news of massive damage has started coming. Over 300 families have lost their houses and belongings. Many of these families were the bank’s customers. There were home loans, commercial loans and vehicle loans. “Around 15 vehicles we funded have been washed away,” Chhibber says.

Though the branch itself is not specifically involved in any relief work yet, Chhibber and his staff are assessing the extent of exposure. “We are preparing a list of customers who have lost their assets in the flood. We may have to rephase the loans in many cases. The decision on this will have to be taken at higher levels.”

Chhibber, who hails from Delhi, stays on the first floor of the branch building. Being at the southern end of the market, the building has managed to escape the flood without much damage. But not all bank staffers were that lucky. The houses of an accountant and a security officer were shattered by the monstrous flow of water that hurtled down the mountains.

The manager of the bank’s nearby Biri branch is also holed up, as the connecting bridges have been washed away and he cannot reach his workplace.

There is little work happening at the branch these days, as economic activity in the town and nearby hamlets has come to a standstill. Even other official work cannot be done because the connectivity is erratic.

“V-Sat (satellite system), too, is not working today. We are sitting here without much to do,” Chhibber says, adding that rebuilding roads should be the priority. “People who have lost their homes have been taken care of by the relief camps. But what about people like us who are at home? Where will we get our provisions and supplies from? It is imperative that roads are rebuilt on a priority basis,” he says.