Srinagar, Aug 6: Customers have voiced growing concern over an acute shortage of staff in several branches of Jammu and Kashmir Bank, alleging that the manpower deficit is disrupting routine banking operations and causing long delays in customer service across the Union Territory.

The issue has come into sharp focus at the Umarabad Shalteng branch in Srinagar, one of the bank's major branches, where customers said an inadequate number of employees is struggling to handle a heavy daily rush of account holders.
According to customers, long queues have become a routine feature at the branch, with people often waiting for hours to complete basic banking transactions such as cash deposits and withdrawals, passbook updates, account verification, cheque clearance, and other customer service requests.
"This is one of the busiest branches of J&K Bank, but the available staff is far too small to cater to the growing number of customers. Every visit to the branch now means spending hours in a queue," said a customer waiting outside the branch.
Several senior citizens and women customers expressed concern over the delays, saying they are forced to wait for prolonged periods even for routine services. They said the shortage of manpower not only causes inconvenience but also affects the overall efficiency of banking operations.
Customers maintained that the problem is not limited to the Umarabad Shalteng branch alone. Similar complaints, they said, are emerging from several J&K Bank branches across the Union Territory, where increasing customer footfall has not been matched by adequate staff deployment.
"The bank has expanded its customer base significantly over the years, but staffing levels have not kept pace. Existing employees are overburdened, which ultimately affects service delivery," another customer remarked.
Many customers also pointed out that the limited workforce has increased pressure on employees, who are often required to manage multiple counters and customer queries simultaneously, leading to slower processing of transactions.
They urged the management of Jammu and Kashmir Bank to conduct a comprehensive assessment of staff requirements at busy branches and fill vacant positions at the earliest.
Customers suggested that deploying additional clerical staff, customer service executives and officers at high-footfall branches would significantly improve service delivery and reduce waiting time.
They further appealed to the bank's top management to strengthen manpower in branches witnessing heavy public rush, particularly in urban centres, so that customers can access banking services efficiently and without unnecessary delays.
Customers expressed hope that the bank would take immediate corrective measures, saying adequate staffing is essential not only for improving customer satisfaction but also for ensuring smooth and efficient banking operations.