Banking with SBI at Somsai, an ordeal for Ukhrul denizens
Source: The Sangai Express / TNT

Ukhrul, August 21 2017: To thousands of customers/clients who bank with the SBI in Ukhrul going to and fro to the bank and return can be an ordeal as the bank is located within the 27 AR campus at Somsai and the people have to face numerous inconveniences of going to the high security area .

Apart from this, the bank is also located far away from the main town and the approach road from Naphang to Sundari Basti at Somsai stretching for about 1.7 km is in deplorable condition .

The SBI bank is located 7 kms away from the main town .

Not surprisingly, the 27 AR at Somsai has restricted vehicular movement of the civilians inside the battalion headquarters, where the SBI bank is located, because of security reason since July .

The restriction was imposed immediately after the Lambui bomb blast in which one AR jawan was killed .

The AR authority has also asked the SBI to shift to Ukhrul town within one month .

Following the ultimatum of the Assam Rifles, the bank authority consulted the district administration, councillors and leaders of social organizations of the district and held a meeting to discuss the matter of establishing an SBI bank at Ukhrul town .

Surprisingly the inconveniences the public have to face while going to the SBI office at Somsai were not addressed .

Shifting the SBI office may still take time, as no visible progress has been reported till date .

The district administration, civil organizations and local councillors have been urged to immediately intervene and address the public inconveniences in time .

As of now, the public have to rely on the goodwill of the AR to avail the services of SBI .

This correspondent during a brief interaction with AR officers was told that 27 AR has been providing regular bus service for more than a month now .

Over 400 bank visitors are ferried daily free of cost, they said.

An AR officer informed that SBI staff have approached them to carry on the bus service up to December, which may not be feasible .

SBI Somsai branch is seven kilometres away from Ukhrul main town.

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