The Indian Banks’ Association, a lobby group of the banking industry, announced that from Monday onwards, banks would only undertake essential services of cash deposits and withdrawals, clearing of cheques, remittances and government transactions.
The banks association stated that they were doing their best to extend all support, and will continue to provide banking services. In a statement, they appealed to customers to visit branches only in case of “absolute necessity”.
“Our employees are also facing the same challenges that you all are and so, we are asking for your help too,” it stated.
They added that most services were available online, and non-essential banking services could be done through mobile and net banking. “We request all our customers to bear with us as other non-essential services during this period may be suspended,” it said.
This comes as 75 districts across the country have been put on lockdown, where only essential services would be available to contain the spread of coronavirus.
The districts where lockdown was announced are from states that include Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
All train services are suspended till March 31, including sub-urban rail services. However, goods trains are exempted. All metro rail services were also suspended till March 31. Inter-state bus services are also suspended.
The total number of novel coronavirus cases in India rose to 341 on Sunday after fresh cases were reported from various parts of the country, the Union Health Ministry said.
Millions of people across the country stayed indoors, streets wore a deserted look and bare number of vehicles were on the road on Sunday in an unprecedented shutdown on Modi's appeal for a 'Janata curfew' to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic, which has claimed over 13,000 lives worldwide.