Branches Open Across India Today, Saturday, October 17, RBI Calendar Revealed
Commercial and public sector bank branches across nearly all parts of India are open and operational today, Saturday, October 17, 2026, offering uninterrupted over-the-counter services to retail and corporate customers. Under standard Reserve Bank of India (RBI) regulations, bank employees observe mandatory institutional holidays exclusively on the second and fourth Saturdays of every calendar month, while the first, third, and fifth Saturdays function as regular working days. Because October 17 falls on the third Saturday of the month, financial institutions from Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, and Bengaluru to Lucknow and Patna are welcoming customers for physical cash deposits, clearing, and branch transactions. The sole regional exception to today's pan-India schedule is in the northeastern state of Tripura, where branches in Agartala remain closed to celebrate the festive occasion of Maha Saptami.
Festive Wave Ahead: State-Wise Dussehra and Durga Puja Bank Holidays from October 19 to 21
While branches remain operational today, bank customers should prepare for an extensive sequence of regional closures kicking off next week as the country enters the peak of the autumn festive season. On Monday, October 19, branches will observe holidays for Maha Navami, Dussehra, and Durga Puja across several key state capitals and commercial centers, including Kolkata, Patna, Ranchi, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Guwahati, Agartala, Imphal, Itanagar, Kohima, and Shillong. The main pan-India holiday for Dussehra and Vijaya Dashami falls on Tuesday, October 20, shuttering banking operations across virtually all major metropolitan centers, with only Gangtok and Imphal keeping counters open. The festive pause extends further into Wednesday, October 21, for Durga Puja and Vijaya Dashami immersions, closing branches in Kolkata, Bengaluru, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Guwahati, Gangtok, and Agartala, while regional bank employees in Gangtok will also observe dedicated holidays on October 23 and 24.
End-of-Month Schedule: Valmiki Jayanti, Karwa Chauth, and Uninterrupted 24/7 Digital Banking
The final stretch of October features several localized observances that customers should review before planning in-person bank visits. On Monday, October 26, branches will remain closed in Agartala, Chandigarh, Jammu, Shimla, and Srinagar in observance of Lakshmi Puja and Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti. Later in the week, bank counters in Shimla will observe a holiday on Thursday, October 29, for Karwa Chauth, while branches across Ahmedabad will halt physical operations on Saturday, October 31, to commemorate the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Despite these physical branch closures, the RBI ensures that modern financial plumbing functions without interruption. All digital banking channels—including the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), Immediate Payment Service (IMPS), National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT), mobile banking applications, and nationwide automated teller machine (ATM) networks—will remain active 24/7, enabling account holders to execute money transfers, bill payments, and cash withdrawals seamlessly throughout the festive period.
