SBI ATMs Run Dry in Guwahati During Bihu Holidays, Customers Left Stranded Despite RBI Guidelines

Customers of the State Bank of India in Guwahati faced significant inconvenience over the past three days as multiple SBI ATMs across the city ran out of cash during the Bohag Bihu bank holidays — precisely when people rely on them the most.

ATMs at Beltola Tiniali and Six Mile, below the flyover, were still displaying the message "Currently this ATM cannot dispense cash" until the time of filing this report — even after banks resumed normal working hours today.

When ATMs Are Needed Most, They Failed

April 14, 15, and 16 were declared bank holidays on account of Bohag Bihu. During such periods, ATMs become the sole source of cash access for customers, making their uninterrupted operation a critical necessity.

Despite this, a significant number of SBI ATMs across Guwahati remained non-functional due to cash shortages, leaving customers with no alternative during the festive period.

Also Read: Assam: Cash Crunch Hits Kokrajhar as SBI ATMs Run Dry During Festive Season

RBI Guidelines Were Clear

The Reserve Bank of India has issued clear guidelines requiring all banks to maintain their own monitoring mechanisms to ensure sufficient cash availability in their ATMs at all times and to ensure timely replenishment.

In October 2021, the RBI went a step further, stipulating that if an ATM remains out of cash for a cumulative total of ten hours in a month, the concerned bank will be subject to a financial penalty — a rule designed specifically to prevent such failures.

While cash replenishment in ATMs is typically carried out by specialised third-party agencies on behalf of banks, the responsibility for monitoring timely replenishment rests squarely with the bank itself.

Questions Now Face SBI Authorities

With banks back in operation today, the cash shortage at several SBI ATMs raises uncomfortable questions for the bank's management.

Why did SBI ATMs remain out of cash even after the holiday period ended? Why was replenishment not arranged in advance, given that the bank holidays were known well in advance? And critically — did the SBI authority monitor and act on this lapse at all?

Customers and observers are now calling on the bank to provide a clear explanation and ensure that such failures do not recur during future holiday periods.