The State Bank of India, Gandhinagar branch in Alakapuri Market here has failed to put in place minimum amenities for the customers. None of the air conditioner of the branch, including the one in the branch manager’s cabin, is working with the customers feeling uneasy inside due to extremely hot condition in the ongoing summer. The staff members are also suffering the heat inside but are tight-lipped for fear of action against them from higher-ups. Similar is the condition of SBI branch in Bhapur Bazar.
When asked, the authorities of the two branches explained that a contract firm, assigned the job of maintenance of the ACs, was not properly doing its job.
The question is why the SBI is not terminating the firm’s contract and appointing some other firm to undertake the jobIJ The public now feel that the branch managers are unable to address the situation promptly. “The top SBI authorities and the Union Ministry of Finance should evolve suitable mechanism to address such situations or else public grievances will grow and they would prefer to go to other banks for all sorts of transactions instead of SBI,” said a customer.