Subhash Mahajan
Chamba
Residents of Pangi Valley, including its administrative center Killar, are grappling with a prolonged disruption in banking services as ATM facilities remain non-functional across the region. Despite over six weeks having passed, the machines have yet to be restored, forcing villagers to queue up at bank branches for cash withdrawals—often returning empty-handed.
The State Bank of India (SBI) ATM has been out of service for nearly two years, with no signs of revival. The only operational alternative, the Himachal Pradesh State Cooperative Bank ATM, also broke down due to a technical fault on September 4 and remains offline. Branch Manager Munish Kumar confirmed that the issue has been reported to higher authorities, but there is no timeline for restoration.
Recent heavy rainfall further worsened the situation, disrupting regular banking operations and placing the entire cash transaction burden on the cooperative bank. With both ATMs down, villagers are facing mounting financial stress.
Locals say they are now forced to visit bank branches directly for cash, where limited staff and overcrowding lead to long delays. In a remote valley like Pangi—already challenged by poor connectivity and transport—the lack of ATM access has made fulfilling daily needs increasingly difficult.
Villagers have urged the administration and bank officials to expedite the restoration of ATM services to provide much-needed relief to the public.
