NEW DELHI, India | August 26, 2026 —
Bank Holiday Today August 26: Customers planning to visit a bank branch on Wednesday should check their city’s holiday status before leaving home, as banks will remain closed in several major Indian cities for Eid-e-Milad, Baravafat, Milad-un-Nabi and Thiruvonam.
The holiday is not a uniform nationwide bank shutdown. Branches will remain closed in notified cities and states, while banking operations will continue normally in locations where August 26 is not listed as a holiday.
The good news for customers is that most digital services — including UPI, mobile banking, internet banking, NEFT, RTGS and ATMs — are expected to remain available.
Are Banks Closed Today, August 26?
According to the bank holiday calendar, branches are scheduled to remain closed on August 26 in major banking centers including:
- Belapur
- Bengaluru
- Bhopal
- Chennai
- Dehradun
- Hyderabad
- Imphal
- Jammu
- Kanpur
- Kochi
- Lucknow
- Mumbai
- Nagpur
- New Delhi
- Patna
- Raipur
- Ranchi
- Srinagar
- Thiruvananthapuram
The closures are associated with observances including Id-E-Milad, Baravafat, Milad-un-Nabi — the birthday of Prophet Muhammad — and Thiruvonam, depending on the location.
Because bank holidays differ from one state and city to another, customers should not assume that every bank branch in India is closed today.
Check the official Reserve Bank of India bank holiday calendar before planning an important branch visit.
Will UPI Work on August 26?
Yes, UPI should continue to work.
A bank branch holiday does not normally stop digital payment systems.
Customers should still be able to make payments through supported UPI apps, transfer money, pay merchants and receive funds.
However, temporary technical issues, scheduled bank maintenance or an independent payment-system outage can affect individual transactions even on a normal working day.
Will ATMs Work Today?
ATMs generally remain operational on bank holidays.
Customers can normally:
- Withdraw cash
- Check account balances
- Use supported cash-deposit machines
- Perform other ATM-enabled transactions
However, cash availability can vary by individual ATM, particularly during a busy holiday period.
If a large cash withdrawal is required, it may be safer to arrange it before the branch holiday rather than depending on one ATM.
Will NEFT and RTGS Work on Bank Holiday?
Yes.
The Reserve Bank of India operates NEFT on a 24x7x365 basis, including holidays.
RTGS is also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, throughout the year.
That means eligible electronic bank transfers can continue even when physical branches are closed.
Customers should still check their own bank’s transaction limits and digital-banking rules.
Will Mobile and Internet Banking Work?
Mobile and internet banking services are expected to remain available.
Customers can generally use them for:
- Account-to-account transfers
- Balance checks
- Utility bill payments
- Credit card payments
- Fixed-deposit-related digital services offered by their bank
- Beneficiary management
- Online account statements
- UPI and other digital transactions
Some requests requiring manual approval by branch employees may remain pending until the next working day.
Which Banking Services Could Be Affected?
A physical branch closure matters most when the transaction requires an employee or access to the branch itself.
Services that may be affected include:
Cash transactions at branch counters: Customers cannot normally make over-the-counter withdrawals or deposits when the branch is closed.
Locker access: Bank lockers generally cannot be accessed when the relevant branch is closed.
Physical document verification: KYC updates, loan paperwork and other documentation requiring branch staff may have to wait.
Demand drafts and certain certificates: Services requiring physical processing may not be available.
Cheque-related work: Customers submitting or collecting physical instruments should allow for possible holiday-related processing delays.
Is August 26 a Holiday for SBI, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and Other Banks?
This is where customers should be careful.
It would be misleading to say that SBI, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, Bank of Baroda or other banks are closed across India.
Bank holiday applicability depends primarily on the location of the branch.
For example, a branch in a notified holiday city may be closed while another branch of the same bank in a different state could remain open.
Always check the branch location rather than only the bank’s name.
What Should Customers Do Today?
If your work requires a branch visit, verify the holiday status first.
For routine payments and fund transfers, digital services should handle most requirements without requiring a bank visit.
Customers with urgent work involving lockers, physical documents, large cash transactions, loan paperwork or branch-level verification should plan for the next working day if their branch is closed.
INVC NEWS readers can also check our earlier bank holiday calendar guide to understand how RBI holidays differ across states and cities.
Bank Holiday Today August 26: The Bottom Line
Banks are closed today in several major cities, but August 26 is not a nationwide shutdown.
The easiest rule to remember is:
Branch closed does not mean digital banking closed.
UPI, mobile banking, internet banking, NEFT and RTGS should continue to provide customers with access to most everyday banking services, while transactions requiring a physical branch may have to wait until the next working day.
