IFSC Code of Esaf Small Finance Bank Limited, Cherthala Branch, Kerala

If you are searching for the IFSC code of Esaf Small Finance Bank Limited, CHERTHALA branch in ALAPPUZHA, KERALA, this page has every detail you need. The verified IFSC code for this branch is ESMF0001189. You can use it for NEFT, RTGS and IMPS fund transfers, online banking add-payee actions, UPI mandates and any other electronic payment request that asks for an Indian Financial System Code. The information on this page is curated specifically for customers, remitters, employers and businesses who need to credit funds to an account maintained at this branch, and it is structured so you can find what you need within a few seconds of landing here.

You will see the complete branch address, the area STD code and phone number, the city and state, the day-to-day banking services that are typically offered at the CHERTHALA branch, and detailed step-by-step guides for using the IFSC ESMF0001189 across NEFT, RTGS and IMPS rails. A frequently-asked-questions section at the end answers the most common queries we receive about this particular branch.

IFSC stands for Indian Financial System Code. It is an 11-character code that pinpoints a particular bank branch on the RBI's real-time payment rails. Every NEFT, RTGS or IMPS instruction must carry the destination branch's IFSC for the credit to land in the correct account.

In our case, ESMF0001189 is the IFSC of Esaf Small Finance Bank Limited's CHERTHALA branch. The format is fixed: ESMF = bank code, 0 = reserved, 001189 = branch identifier.

Bank profile

Esaf Small Finance Bank Limited is among the recognised banks listed on the Reserve Bank of India's payments network. The Cherthala branch — IFSC ESMF0001189 — extends the bank's services to customers in and around Alappuzha, Kerala.

About this branch

The branch is located at JT TRADE CENTRE,NEAR X RAY JUNCTION,TSC ROAD,ALLEPPY CHERTHALA ROAD,ALLEPPY688524. It serves the Alappuzha region and is connected to the bank's core banking platform, which means transactions initiated here are instantly visible across all other branches of Esaf Small Finance Bank Limited. The IFSC ESMF0001189 is used to identify this branch on the RBI payments network.

Branch details at a glance

Why every Esaf Small Finance Bank Limited branch has a unique IFSC

Before electronic settlement systems went live in India, money transfers between banks relied heavily on demand drafts, mail transfers and telegraphic transfers. These older instruments routinely took days to clear and were prone to misrouting because there was no single machine-readable identifier for a branch. The Reserve Bank of India solved this by issuing each participating branch — including CHERTHALA of Esaf Small Finance Bank Limited — its own 11-character IFSC. The code ESMF0001189 is therefore not just an internal reference; it is the digital postcode that lets the RBI's NEFT, RTGS and IMPS rails route funds straight to the right branch ledger without any human intervention.

Today, almost every salary credit, vendor payment, refund and EMI deduction in the country flows through this network, which is exactly why a correct IFSC matters so much. A wrong character can either bounce the transfer or send it to the wrong branch, and reversing such a credit is a manual, time-consuming process. Treat IFSC ESMF0001189 the same way you would treat your account number — verify it once and save it carefully for future use.

MICR code & cheque clearing

Apart from IFSC, every cheque book issued by Esaf Small Finance Bank Limited carries a 9-digit MICR (Magnetic Ink Character Recognition) code that is read by cheque-sorting machines. The MICR code, the IFSC ESMF0001189 and the account number together uniquely identify the Cherthala branch and your account. The MICR for this branch is printed at the bottom of your cheque leaves.

How to transfer money using IFSC ESMF0001189

Online transfers in India are powered by three major channels — NEFT, RTGS and IMPS — and each one requires a destination IFSC. Below is a quick guide for using IFSC ESMF0001189 across all three.

NEFT to Esaf Small Finance Bank Limited, CHERTHALA using IFSC ESMF0001189

National Electronic Funds Transfer is the simplest way to move money into an account at this branch. NEFT works around the clock, including Sundays and public holidays, and settles in half-hourly batches.

To send funds, add the recipient as a beneficiary in your bank's online portal, key in the account number, paste the IFSC ESMF0001189, and confirm that the system picks up Esaf Small Finance Bank Limited – CHERTHALA. Submit the transfer request, authenticate with OTP, and the amount will reach the beneficiary in the next clearing cycle.

Real-Time Gross Settlement to CHERTHALA

If you need to transfer ₹2 lakh or more in one go to an account at Esaf Small Finance Bank Limited's CHERTHALA branch, RTGS is the right channel. Each transaction is settled individually in real time. Use IFSC ESMF0001189 while initiating the transfer and the credit will appear within minutes.

IMPS to Esaf Small Finance Bank Limited CHERTHALA (IFSC ESMF0001189)

IMPS (Immediate Payment Service) offers instant, 24x7 fund transfers up to ₹5 lakh per transaction. Provide the beneficiary's account number along with IFSC ESMF0001189 in your mobile or internet banking app, and the money is credited to the CHERTHALA branch account within seconds.

Comparing NEFT, RTGS and IMPS for transfers to Cherthala

The right transfer rail depends on how urgent the payment is, how large it is, and whether the receiving bank participates in the chosen scheme. Every option below works with the IFSC ESMF0001189:

• NEFT — best for everyday transfers of any amount; settles in half-hourly batches around the clock.
• RTGS — best for transfers of ₹2 lakh and above; settles each transaction individually in real time.
• IMPS — best when speed matters more than batch scheduling; instant credit up to ₹5 lakh.
• UPI — best for small peer-to-peer payments using a VPA; the underlying account at CHERTHALA is still linked to IFSC ESMF0001189.

For salary credits, vendor payouts and refunds, employers and merchants usually default to NEFT because of its zero per-transaction cost for retail customers and its 24x7 availability.

UPI payments and IFSC ESMF0001189

UPI (Unified Payments Interface) has become the default way for individuals to send money in India. While most UPI transactions are addressed using a Virtual Payment Address (VPA) like name@bank, the underlying account at Esaf Small Finance Bank Limited – CHERTHALA is still mapped to IFSC ESMF0001189. When a customer links a savings or current account to a UPI app for the first time, the app silently looks up this IFSC against the account number to verify the account exists. The VPA acts as a friendly alias on top of the same plumbing.

If a UPI transfer to or from this branch fails, the most common reasons are an inactive UPI handle, a daily limit breach or a temporary outage at one of the participating banks — not the IFSC. You can always fall back to NEFT or IMPS using the IFSC ESMF0001189 and the beneficiary's account number to complete the transfer.

Account types you can open at the Cherthala branch

Once you have an account at Esaf Small Finance Bank Limited – CHERTHALA, the IFSC ESMF0001189 stays the same regardless of the type of account you hold. The branch typically supports the following options:

• Savings account — for individuals, with chequebook, ATM card and net-banking access.
• Current account — for sole proprietors, partnerships and companies that need higher transaction volumes.
• Salary account — opened in bulk for corporate employees, often with zero-balance benefits.
• NRE / NRO accounts — for non-resident Indians who want to repatriate or maintain rupee balances in India.
• Fixed deposit and recurring deposit — term-based investment accounts with quarterly or cumulative interest.
• Senior citizen accounts — concessional minimum balance and a small interest rate premium on FDs.
• Minor and student accounts — operated jointly with a guardian until the customer turns 18.

Eligibility, minimum balance and KYC requirements vary by product. Speak to a relationship officer at the branch for the latest schedule of charges and interest rates.

Products and services

Customers walking into the Cherthala branch can access most of Esaf Small Finance Bank Limited's standard product suite, including:

• Account opening – savings, current, NRI, salary
• Term deposits and recurring deposits
• Retail and small-business loans
• Insurance and mutual-fund tie-ups
• Locker, safe deposit and ATM card services
• Online and mobile banking activation
• Electronic transfers via IFSC ESMF0001189

Online banking and IFSC ESMF0001189

Esaf Small Finance Bank Limited customers can register for net banking and the bank's official mobile app once their account at the CHERTHALA branch is active. Net banking lets you view balances, download statements, open fixed deposits, request cheque books and initiate NEFT/RTGS/IMPS transfers — all without setting foot in the branch. The IFSC ESMF0001189 is pre-filled by the bank for transfers originating from your own account, and you only need to enter it manually when adding an external beneficiary or sharing your account details with a third party.

How to reach the Cherthala branch

The branch is located at JT TRADE CENTRE,NEAR X RAY JUNCTION,TSC ROAD,ALLEPPY CHERTHALA ROAD,ALLEPPY688524, which puts it inside Alappuzha, the broader Alappuzha district, and the state of Kerala. To plan your visit:

1. Open Google Maps on your phone and search for “Esaf Small Finance Bank Limited Cherthala branch” — the verified location pin for IFSC ESMF0001189 should appear at the top of the results.
2. Confirm the branch is open by calling 478-8589029271 before stepping out, especially around public holidays.
3. Carry photo ID and any account-related documents you may need for the transaction you plan to do.

Most banking work — passbook updates, fund transfers, statement downloads — can also be completed online without visiting the branch in person, as long as you know the IFSC ESMF0001189 and your account number.

Common mistakes to avoid when using IFSC ESMF0001189

An incorrect IFSC almost always results in a failed transfer or, worse, a credit to the wrong branch. Before you click Confirm on a transfer to Esaf Small Finance Bank Limited – CHERTHALA, double-check for these issues:

• Confusing 0 with O. The fifth character of every IFSC is the digit 0, not the letter O. Read carefully.
• Spaces or hyphens. Do not put spaces in the IFSC. It is exactly 11 characters: ESMF0001189.
• Wrong branch. A bank can have dozens of branches in the same city. Make sure you are using the IFSC for the actual branch where the beneficiary holds the account, not just any nearby branch.
• Old IFSC after a merger. If two banks have merged, the IFSC may have been reissued. Always verify with a recent passbook or cheque leaf.
• Copy-paste from chat. Auto-correct on phones can silently change letters in IFSC codes. Type carefully or copy from a trusted source like the cheque book.

Working hours

Branch counters at Cherthala are usually open from 10 AM to 4 PM on weekdays. Saturdays follow the RBI's alternate-Saturday rule. Even when the branch is closed, NEFT, RTGS, IMPS and UPI transfers addressed to ESMF0001189 continue to work without interruption.

Other ways to verify the IFSC code

While this page already lists the verified IFSC ESMF0001189 for Esaf Small Finance Bank Limited – CHERTHALA, you can cross-check the code from any of these sources before initiating a high-value transfer:

• The front of the cheque book issued by the branch – the IFSC is printed at the top of every leaf.
• The first page of your passbook.
• The bank's official website under the branch locator.
• The Reserve Bank of India's IFSC search portal.
• Net banking dashboards usually display the home-branch IFSC under account details.

Branch address & contact

Frequently asked questions

Final notes

To recap: ESMF0001189 is the IFSC code of Esaf Small Finance Bank Limited, CHERTHALA branch, in ALAPPUZHA, KERALA. It is required for every electronic transfer to an account held at this branch. We keep this page updated with the latest address and contact details, so you can rely on the information here for your day-to-day banking needs.