The Story of Bank of Baroda Manjhanpur in Prayagraj: Branch Closed, Customers Worried, Serious Lapses Ignored

The Bank of Baroda Manjhanpur branch in Prayagraj (Allahabad) has been closed for several days. As per reports, the branch has been closed since 3rd September 2025. But Why?? Because the district magistrate has ordered the bank to vacate the premises. Currently, Bank of Baroda is located in the premises of the District Development Office (DDO), Vikas Bhavan building at Manjhanpur, on a monthly rental basis. There is no lease agreement but only a rental arrangement with a mutual three-month notice clause for vacating the premises.

In the same building, the Regional Office of the RRB is also located. Owing to poor performance of both institutions in achieving the District Credit Plan (DCP) targets, the then District Magistrate (DM) warned both banks to improve cooperation with the district administration. Upon continued non-compliance, both were served with a three-month notice to vacate the premises.

The RRB vacated the office promptly within the notice period, but Bank of Baroda officials failed to initiate any relocation process. Instead of improving performance or complying with the DCP requirements, attempts were made ot “manage” the issue without results, further displeasing the DM.

Upon receiving the final notice, DRM Mr. Anoop Shukla and LDM Mr. Ravikant Maurya met the DM in the last week of August 2025. The DM allowed the branch operations on the condition that the Bank would show tangible progress in DCP implementation and submit a progress report within a week. However, the officials failed to comply with or even meet the DM again. This time, the DM ordered for immediate vacation.

Instead of resolving the issue with the DM, RM Mr Chandrakant Chaturvedi, and the LDM preferred to close the branch to the public, keeping shutters half-down and displaying a banner stating: “Due to unavoidable circumstances, Manjhanpur Branch operations wil function from Samada Branch and Advances Section from Osah Chauraha Branch.” Customers were denied entry into the branch. Auto-rickshaws were arranged with banners stating that transportation was provided to customers.

Bank of Baroda is a leading bank in Kaushambi district, and the LDM is also an employee of Bank of Baroda. The LDM is appointed to ensure smooth coordination between the banks and the district administration.

On 19th September 2025, after 16 days of closure, another banner was displayed: “In our endeavour ot consolidate and strengthen our services, BOB Manjhanpur, presently functioning in Vikas Bhavan, will shift to a new premises and function there on or after 20.10.2025.” Even as on date, the branch continues to remain non-functional from the original premises, and autos continue to ferry customers elsewhere.

Loss of Business

The District Administration has instructed government departments to withdraw their funds from BOB branches, resulting in a visible decline in government business.

Gross Lapses by RO Prayagrai-II and LDM Kaushambi

The Regional Office and LDM are accused of gross lapses such as:

• Closure of the branch to the public without approval from the competent authority.
• b) Failure to inform higher authorities or obtain permission for temporary closure.
• c) No intimation to RBI, Kanpur, as required for branch closure or service disruption.
• d) No timely search for alternative premises, unlike the RRB.
• e) No disclosure to customers or staff about the true reason for closure.
• f) Continuing rent payments for the closed premises without administrative sanction.

When a Times of India correspondent contacted the Bank of Baroda office, the officer informed that “the lease agreement had expired.” This was misleading, as no lease agreement ever existed but only a simple rental arrangement. Thus, the Regional Office not only kept you and BC in the dark, but also misled the media and the public.

Further, shifting the Lead Bank Office from the Manjhanpur Branch premises to RSETI (which functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs) was carried out without permission from the concerned ministry or competent authority.

All India Bank of Baroda Officers’ Union stated: If any Branch Head closes a branch even for a single day without approval, the Bank immediately suspends the officer, citing RBI norms and internal guidelines. It remains to be seen whether the same accountability applies to Regional Executives who have brought embarrassment to the institution by closing a branch for over two months.

Demands by All India Bank of Baroda Officers’ Union

All India Bank of Baroda Officers’ Union has put forward the following demands:

• An immediate probe into the incident.
• Fixing of responsibility and accountability on the concerned officials of RO Prayagraj-II and
  the LDM, Kaushambi.
• Disciplinary action for violation of Bank norms, RBI guidelines, and concealment of facts from the Head Office and RBI.

This is a serious issue, and Bank of Baroda must conduct a proper investigation. Serious lapses have been noticed, and these lapses can’t be ignored. The regional office has failed badly in the management of branch and has caused a lot of trouble for customers.