The All Khasi Hills Achik Federation (AKHAF) has called for the Ranikor branch of the State Bank of India (SBI) to be upgraded soon as the current infrastructure and staffing are unable to cope with the number of customers.
AKHAF paid a visit to the branch recently “to understand why this branch was failing to meet the basic banking needs of its customers, who hail from various parts of the district.”
In a release, the group said that customers had to endure agonising wait times, often spending their entire day in queues only to leave the branch empty-handed. It also said that there is a “distinct lack of proper management” and that reports have emerged of customers “being injured and hospitalised due to the suffocating queues.”
The Ranikor branch serves around 150 villages in South West Khasi Hills but it remains a “mini bank”, AKHAF said, attributing the term to the manager.
AKHAF chief Clivester Marak called for immediate intervention from the state and central governments to facilitate the swift upgrade of this branch.
