Mumbai, March 20: Banking operations in the majority of Indian states will be suspended on Saturday, March 21, 2026, as per the official holiday calendar released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The closure is primarily on account of Eid-ul-Fitr (Ramzan Id), marking the conclusion of the holy month of Ramadan. This holiday follows a week of intermittent closures due to regional festivals like Gudi Padwa and Ugadi, making it essential for customers to plan their branch-related tasks in advance.

While physical branches will remain shut in major financial hubs, including Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, and Bengaluru, online banking services and ATMs will continue to operate without interruption. Eid 2026 Moon Sighting Final Update: India To Celebrate Eid Ul Fitr on March 21 as Shawwal Chand Not Sighted.

List of Cities Where RBI Has Declared Bank Holiday

According to the RBI's state-wise notification, banks will remain closed on March 21 in nearly all major cities across the country. Key places observing the holiday include Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Jammu and Lucknow, among others. As per the RBI's bank holiday list, banks will remain closed across all cities except Kochi, Shimla and Thiruvananthapuram. Notably, in Jharkhand, the day is also observed as Sarhul, a significant tribal spring festival.

RBI-designed March 21 bank holiday applies to Agartala, Ahmedabad, Aizawl, Belapur,  Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Dehradun, Gangtok, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Imphal, Itanagar, Jaipur, Jammu, Kanpur, Kohima, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, New Delhi, Panaji, Patna, Raipur, Ranchi, Shillong, Srinagar, and Vijayawada.

March 21 Bank Holiday's Impact on Banking Services

As March 21 is a scheduled holiday under the Negotiable Instruments Act, several critical financial services will be affected:

  • Branch Operations: Counter services such as cash deposits, withdrawals, and passbook updates will be unavailable.

  • Cheque Clearing: Physical cheque clearing and processing will be delayed until the next working day.

  • Demand Drafts: Issuance and encashment of Demand Drafts (DD) will be paused.

Despite the branch closures, the RBI ensures that digital infrastructure remains fully functional to minimise public inconvenience. Online transactions such as NEFT, RTGS, and IMPS services will remain available 24/7. Similarly, mobile banking such as UPI services, including Google Pay, PhonePe, and bank-specific apps, will operate normally. On the other hand, cash withdrawal and deposit machines will remain accessible, though customers are advised to expect higher demand. Bank Holidays March 16-22: Banks To Remain Closed for 5 Days Next Week; Check Details.

March is historically a high-volume month for banks due to the financial year-end. Following the March 21 holiday and the weekly off on Sunday, March 22, banks will resume operations for a short window before the next scheduled holidays, including Ram Navami on March 26-27, Fourth Saturday holiday on March 28 and Mahavir Jayanti on March 31.

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(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 20, 2026 12:16 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).