Srinagar, Nov 17 (UNI) The main branch of State Bank of India (SBI) at Residency Road in Srinagar was closed as a precautionary measure on Tuesday after four officials, including Chief Manager (CM), tested positive for COVID-19.

However, other branches of the bank in Srinagar and other parts of the valley were functioning normally.

Large number of customers and those who had to file their “Life certificate” had to return back disappointed after they were told that Bank will remain closed today as a precautionary measure.

A Bank official told UNI that four employees including CM, had tested positive for coronavirus who are under home quarantine.

He said medical team today visited the bank where fresh COVID test was conducted on other employees who remain in contact with these officials. However, all the 25 employees tested negative today, he said adding for the safety of customers all banking business was suspended today.

The decision to close the bank was to prevent further spread of the virus, he said adding bank will be sanitized.

Meanwhile, large number of customers had to return to disappointed after they were informed by the security force personnel deployed on the main gate of the bank that all business has been suspended. A notice was also pasted on the main gate that bank will remain closed today.

A retired engineer of UNI Abdul Aziz Mir also could not file his Life Certificate due to closure of the bank. Similar inconvenience was faced by bank customers who had to deposit cash or cheques or withdraw cash. However, Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) of the bank were functioning normally.

UNI BAS PS 1436