Respect the queue, respect ourselves

Sir,
For almost fifteen days I have been visiting the Diphupar branch of State Bank of India to complete some work. It is still not fully done. The easy thing would be to blame the employees. But what I saw inside the bank tells a bigger story about us in Nagaland.
The staff are not sitting idle. They are counting cash, verifying signatures, handling digital issues, calming angry customers and responding to endless questions. Handling money is not casual work. One small mistake can create serious consequences. It demands concentration and mental strength. What makes it harder is the culture inside the hall. In our Naga society we deeply respect elders. That value is beautiful. But sometimes it creates silence. An aunty or uncle walks past the queue. Ten young people stand behind quietly. Nobody speaks. Not because they agree but because they were raised to respect. But discipline is not disrespect.
A queue is fairness. When someone breaks it frustration builds. The counter becomes crowded. Voices rise. The staff must focus on cash while managing human emotions at the same time. Imagine doing financial transactions while ten people lean forward with impatience.
Then comes lunch time. Around two o clock the staff finally get thirty or forty minutes to eat. Even that becomes uncomfortable because customers show irritation. But bankers are human. If they do not eat how will they stay alert. If their mind is tired how will your money remain safe.
Yes sometimes a staff member may sound sharp. Pressure is real. Targets audits system demands all fall on the same shoulders. Many times the system values numbers more than human wellbeing.
At the same time Diphupar and nearby areas are growing fast. Population is increasing. Transactions are increasing. But branch size and manpower often remain the same. When demographics expand infrastructure must expand too. More counters. More staff. Better space. Structured queue management. Development in Nagaland cannot ignore banking infrastructure. Students entrepreneurs farmers salaried employees everyone depends on it. I write this as an educator and also as someone from a family of bankers. Citizens deserve efficient service. Bank employees deserve dignity.
Nagaland is known for respect. Let us now show maturity. Stand in line. Protect order. Allow staff their basic human needs. Raise concerns politely. Demand better infrastructure constructively.
Respect is not silence. Respect is responsibility.
From
A Concerned Citizen