UCBs must make branches and ATMs accessible to disabled persons
No longer current — withdrawn, no replacement on file yet
Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2008-09/464 · issued 29 Apr 2009 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI directs all Primary Urban Co-operative Banks to install ramps at branches and ATMs, adjust ATM heights for wheelchair users, and ensure one-third of new ATMs are talking ATMs with Braille keypads, with at least one such ATM per locality.
What changed
RBI issued a circular on April 29, 2009, mandating that UCBs take steps to make bank branches and ATMs accessible to persons with disabilities. Banks must provide ramps at branch entrances and ATMs, and ensure ATM heights are suitable for wheelchair users. Additionally, at least one-third of new ATMs must be talking ATMs with Braille keypads, strategically placed to cover each locality.
What it means for you
UCBs must now invest in physical infrastructure modifications like ramps and accessible ATM designs to comply with disability access norms. This will require capital expenditure for retrofitting existing ATMs and branches, and for procuring talking ATMs with Braille features. Banks also need to coordinate with other banks to ensure at least one talking ATM per locality, which may involve sharing location data.
Historical instruction — do not use for current compliance. This is what was required at the time; it no longer reflects current RBI requirements. If no replacement rule is linked above, that only means none is recorded on our register yet — it does not prove no later applicable rule exists. Confirm on the official RBI source below.
What banks were required to do at the time
Conduct an audit of all existing branches and ATMs to identify gaps in accessibility for wheelchair users and visually impaired persons.
Install ramps at branch entrances and at all existing and future ATMs, and adjust ATM heights to be wheelchair-friendly.
Ensure that at least one-third of all new ATMs installed are talking ATMs with Braille keypads, and place them strategically to cover each locality.
Coordinate with other banks in your area to avoid duplication and ensure at least one talking ATM per locality.
Notify visually impaired customers about the locations of talking ATMs through appropriate channels.
Who it affects
All Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks, Branch operations teams, ATM deployment and maintenance teams, Customer service and communication teams
❓ Common questions
Regulatory timeline
Decoded by BankPulse2026-06-19 10:24 IST
repealed_by — Consolidation of Regulations — Withdrawal of circulars (28 Nov 2025)
Status change: withdrawn05 Aug 2026, 04:00 IST
Built from our lineage records — each fact carries its provenance; missing history simply is not shown (never guessed).
Does this circular apply to existing ATMs or only new ones?
It applies to both: banks must provide ramps at all existing ATMs and future ATMs, and ensure ATM heights are suitable for wheelchair users. For new ATMs, at least one-third must be talking ATMs with Braille keypads.
What is meant by 'strategically placed' for talking ATMs?
Banks should place talking ATMs with Braille keypads in consultation with other banks to ensure that at least one such ATM is generally available in each locality, avoiding overlap and maximizing coverage for visually impaired customers.
Do we need to inform customers about talking ATM locations?
Yes, the circular explicitly states that banks should bring the locations of such talking ATMs to the notice of their visually impaired customers.
📜 This document’s life story (1 recorded event, each backed by RBI’s own words)
Repealed byRBI/2025-26/100 — Consolidation of Regulations — Withdrawal of circulars (28 Nov 2025)
RBI’s words: “Official withdrawal register entry #1944: UBD.CO.BPD.(PCB)Cir.No.63/9.39.000/2008-09 — "Need for Bank Branches / ATMs to be made Accessible to Persons with Disabilities" dated April 29, 2009”
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
We have been receiving several suggestions including from Government of India to make bank branches and ATMs easily accessible to persons with disability by providing ramps so that wheel chair users can access them and the height of the machine is also appropriate for them. Further we have also been receiving suggestions for installing speaking software and key pads with letters in Braille to facilitate use by persons with visual impairment.
2. We have examined the above suggestions and banks are advised to take necessary steps to provide all existing ATMs / future ATMs with ramps so that wheel chair users / persons with disabilities can easily access them and also make arrangements in such a way that the height of the ATM does not create an impediment in its use by a wheelchair user. Banks may also take appropriate steps including providing ramps at the entrance of the bank branches so that the persons with disabilities / wheel chair users can enter the bank branches and conduct business without much difficulty.
3. Further, banks should make at least one third of new ATMs installed as talking ATMs with Braille keypads and place them strategically in consultation with other banks to ensure that at least one talking ATM with Braille keypad is generally available in each locality for catering to needs of visually impaired persons. Banks may also bring the locations of such talking ATMs to the notice of their visually impaired customers.
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2008-09/464 · issued 29 Apr 2009. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
Discuss this circular with fellow bankers — reply, upvote what helps, report what doesn’t belong. Be professional; no client data. Views are the commenter’s own, not BankPulse’s.
BankPulse Compliance Evidence Pack — generated 05 Aug 2026 · status cross-checked against RBI’s official withdrawal register (refreshed weekly). Official RBI source: https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=4961&Mode=0 — Plain-English summary by BankPulse (bankpulse.ai), reviewed by our expert reviewer, CA Amit Jain. Independent platform, not affiliated with the Reserve Bank of India; is our own plain-English paraphrase, not RBI’s original wording.
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