UKHRUL, May 9: While there is every likelihood that a new branch of the State Bank of India (SBI) is coming up in the heart of Ukhrul town in near future, safety worries continue to put a brake on its opening process as security arrangement for the same remains undecided.
Sources from SBI, Ukhrul on Friday disclosed that this year’s March was earlier targeted for opening of the new branch office at the district mini secretariat complex but had to be put off for want of security arrangements.
It may be noted here that Ukhrul town currently has only one SBI branch operating since 2011 from inside the 10th Sector Assam Rifles, Somsai which is located about 5 kms from Ukhrul town.
The public of the township have since been demanding another SBI branch in the heart of the town, their contention being the present one far removed from town areas. Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) had even held a series of discussion with officials of SBI in this regard.
“Decks have been cleared,” official sources today said and further replied in the affirmative to a query if the bank is ready for its manpower and technical set up for the new office.
“It is, even then, not for us to say anything in the security matter as it is the concern of the district administration,” it continued, before adding that facing the same fate is the ATM installed at the mini secretariat building in the year 2011.
Meanwhile, the lone functional ATM installed at SBI, Somsai remains defunct since about a week back causing immense hardship to not only SBI customers but other ATM card users of UBI as well.
According to bank officials, the machine was down after it developed software problems last week and they are expecting engineers from Imphal to fix it on Saturday.
Many ATM card users were today seen turning back in dismay while some others managed to withdraw their money using their SBI ATM cards via technical assistance from the bank.
