Bank Alert! Working hours reduced in Tamil Nadu due to COVID-19, check new timings

After Maharashtra, banks in Tamil Nadu have reduced their working hours to protect their employees from the second wave of Covid-19. Keeping in view the rising cases in the state, all bank branches in Tamil Nadu are going to function between 10 am to 2 pm. 

The new timings will be applicable from Monday, April 26 to April 30. Banks will continuously monitor the situation to decide if the reduced working hours will continue after April 30 or not. 

In addition to the reduced working hours, the State Level Bankers’ Committee-Tamil Nadu (SLBC-TN) on Saturday also issued a series of guidelines to its member banks in the state. In its statement, the committee said that wherever possible cluster-based functioning of branches in consultation with the local administration shall be adopted.

It also advised banks to seek the help of police for crowd management at branches that are faced with a massive number of customers coming at a particular time. Branches can take the matter to the Lead District Manager. 

Moreover, banking staff that do not have direct contact with the public will be working as normal. Administrative/zonal/regional/back offices staff come under this category. Here are some other decisions: 

-Staff with co-morbidities conditions, pregnant women, visually challenged may be given the option of work from home by the relevant authorities of the concerned banks;

-Aadhaar Enrolment Centre functions shall be suspended;

-Branches functioning in the areas declared as Containment Zones, if any, shall continue to be guided by the directions given by the appropriate authorities;

-Banks to ensure that all alternate delivery channels such as bank ATMs/cash deposit machines/Cash recyclers shall be functional;

-Business Correspondents services should be fully functional at all times;

-Bank shall encourage all their eligible staff members to avail of the vaccination facility for themselves as well as for their family members;

-All other procedures to contain the spread of Covid-19 like use of face mask, washing of hands at regular intervals, maintaining social distancing etc shall be strictly adhered to; and

-Member banks are requested to educate and encourage their customers to make use of alternate delivery channels/opt for digital transactions instead of visiting branches physically.

-with inputs from IANS.