Bank Holiday Update: Maharashtra mourns Ajit Pawar’s death as Mumbai faces bank and school closures amid state mourning and public holiday announcements.

Banks Holiday in Mumbai On 29 January 2026 (Photo: File)
Bank Holiday Update: Maharashtra woke up to shock and disbelief after the sudden death of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a tragic plane crash near Pune district and the incident has triggered widespread mourning across the state, disrupted public services and raised questions around holidays for banks, schools and government offices. Mumbai, the financial nerve centre of India, is directly affected as the state observes official mourning and temporary closures. According to civil aviation data, India has recorded fewer than five fatal charter aircraft accidents in the last decade, making this crash both rare and devastating.
Mumbai will observe disruptions in normal operations as the Maharashtra government has declared a state holiday during the mourning period. While January 27, 2026, falls close to Republic Day, the holiday announcement linked to the tragedy has created confusion among citizens, especially banking customers where several state-run institutions are expected to remain shut, while private establishments may function with limited staff.
On January 27, most public sector banks under the Maharashtra state administration will remain closed in Mumbai includes branches of State Bank of India, Bank of Maharashtra and other nationalised banks operating under state directives. Private banks may continue essential services but branch-level closures depend on local instructions while digital banking, ATMs and UPI services are expected to function normally, handling nearly 65 percent of daily transactions in Mumbai.
The Maharashtra government announced three days of state mourning as a mark of respect. During this period, all government offices remain closed, flags are flown at half-mast, and official events are cancelled. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis termed the loss irreparable and highlighted Pawar’s decades-long role in state politics and rural development and government data shows Maharashtra has declared state mourning only six times in the last 20 years, underlining the gravity of the moment.
The timing of the closure is critical as January-end banking sees high transaction volumes due to salary credits, tax payments and business settlements nearly 38% of monthly cash withdrawals in urban Maharashtra occur between the 25th and 31st of each month. Customers are advised to rely on digital platforms and plan branch visits after services resume to avoid last-minute disruptions.
All government, aided and private schools in Mumbai will remain closed as part of the mourning period while educational institutions across Maharashtra are expected to reopen after January 30, though many schools that remain shut on Saturdays may resume classes only from February 2. Parents and students are advised to follow updates from school administrations and local education officers.
| Date | Day | Holiday |
| January 10 | Saturday | Second Saturday |
| January 24 | Saturday | Fourth Saturday |
| January 26 | Monday | Republic Day |
| February 14 | Saturday | Second Saturday |
| February 15 | Sunday | Maha Shivaratri |
| February 19 | Thursday | Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti |
| February 28 | Saturday | Fourth Saturday |
| March 3 | Tuesday | Holi |
| March 14 | Saturday | Second Saturday |
| March 20 | Friday | Gudi Padwa |
| March 21 | Saturday | Idul Fitr |
| March 27 | Friday | Ram Navami |
| March 28 | Saturday | Fourth Saturday |
| March 31 | Tuesday | Mahavir Jayanti |
| April 3 | Friday | Good Friday |
| April 11 | Saturday | Second Saturday |
| April 14 | Tuesday | Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Jayanti |
| April 25 | Saturday | Fourth Saturday |
| May 1 | Friday | Maharashtra Day / Buddha Purnima |
| May 9 | Saturday | Second Saturday |
| May 23 | Saturday | Fourth Saturday |
| May 27 | Wednesday | Bakrid / Eid al-Adha |
| June 13 | Saturday | Second Saturday |
| June 26 | Friday | Muharram |
| June 27 | Saturday | Fourth Saturday |
| July 11 | Saturday | Second Saturday |
| July 25 | Saturday | Fourth Saturday |
| August 8 | Saturday | Second Saturday |
| August 15 | Saturday | Independence Day |
| August 16 | Sunday | Parsi New Year |
| August 22 | Saturday | Fourth Saturday |
| August 25 | Tuesday | Eid-e-Milad |
| September 12 | Saturday | Second Saturday |
| September 15 | Tuesday | Ganesh Chaturthi |
| September 26 | Saturday | Fourth Saturday |
| October 2 | Friday | Gandhi Jayanti |
| October 10 | Saturday | Second Saturday |
| October 21 | Wednesday | Vijaya Dashami |
| October 24 | Saturday | Fourth Saturday |
| November 8 | Sunday | Diwali |
| November 9 | Monday | Diwali Balipratipada |
| November 14 | Saturday | Second Saturday |
| November 24 | Tuesday | Guru Nanak Jayanti |
| November 28 | Saturday | Fourth Saturday |
| December 12 | Saturday | Second Saturday |
| December 25 | Friday | Christmas Day |
| December 26 | Saturday | Fourth Saturday |