IFSC Code of Punjab National Bank, C Chest Ara Chowk Branch, Bihar

This page lists the IFSC code, branch address, contact number and fund-transfer information for Punjab National Bank, C CHEST ARA CHOWK branch in ARRAH , BIHAR. The 11-digit IFSC PUNB0696700 uniquely identifies this branch in the RBI's centralised payments network and is required for every NEFT, RTGS or IMPS transaction routed to this branch. If you are paying somebody who banks with Punjab National Bank at the C CHEST ARA CHOWK location, this is the only IFSC you need.

We have organised this page into clearly labelled sections so you can jump straight to the part that interests you — the IFSC and MICR details, the full postal address, the contact phone number, a quick primer on NEFT, RTGS and IMPS, the typical product line-up at the branch, and a frequently asked questions section that addresses the queries people raise most often about this 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, PUNB0696700 is the IFSC of Punjab National Bank's C CHEST ARA CHOWK branch. The format is fixed: PUNB = bank code, 0 = reserved, 696700 = branch identifier.

Branch details at a glance

About the bank

Punjab National Bank serves retail and corporate customers with a full range of deposit, lending, payments and digital banking products. Its C Chest Ara Chowk branch in Arrah , Bihar, Bihar is part of this network and uses the IFSC code PUNB0696700 for all electronic settlement.

About this branch

The branch is located at ARA CHOWK VIR COMPLEX JAILROAD. It serves the Arrah , Bihar region and is connected to the bank's core banking platform, which means transactions initiated here are instantly visible across all other branches of Punjab National Bank. The IFSC PUNB0696700 is used to identify this branch on the RBI payments network.

The role of IFSC in India's payments network

India's electronic payment infrastructure — NEFT, RTGS, IMPS, UPI and the National Automated Clearing House (NACH) — is built on a single principle: every participating bank branch must be uniquely identifiable by an alphanumeric code. The Reserve Bank of India introduced the IFSC system to fulfil this requirement, and that is how Punjab National Bank's C CHEST ARA CHOWK branch came to be assigned the code PUNB0696700.

Whether you are receiving a salary on the first of the month, paying a vendor invoice, settling an EMI, or accepting a refund from an e-commerce platform, the IFSC is the silent piece of metadata that tells the network where your account lives. Without IFSC PUNB0696700, money simply cannot be routed to the C CHEST ARA CHOWK branch electronically.

How to transfer money using IFSC PUNB0696700

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 PUNB0696700 across all three.

NEFT to Punjab National Bank, C CHEST ARA CHOWK using IFSC PUNB0696700

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 PUNB0696700, and confirm that the system picks up Punjab National Bank – C CHEST ARA CHOWK. Submit the transfer request, authenticate with OTP, and the amount will reach the beneficiary in the next clearing cycle.

RTGS transfers via IFSC PUNB0696700

RTGS (Real-Time Gross Settlement) is the fastest high-value transfer mechanism in India. It is meant for transfers of ₹2 lakh and above and settles each transaction individually and instantly. To remit through RTGS to Punjab National Bank – C CHEST ARA CHOWK, ensure your bank's portal accepts IFSC PUNB0696700 while registering the beneficiary. RTGS is also available 24x7.

IMPS to Punjab National Bank C CHEST ARA CHOWK (IFSC PUNB0696700)

IMPS (Immediate Payment Service) offers instant, 24x7 fund transfers up to ₹5 lakh per transaction. Provide the beneficiary's account number along with IFSC PUNB0696700 in your mobile or internet banking app, and the money is credited to the C CHEST ARA CHOWK branch account within seconds.

Comparing NEFT, RTGS and IMPS for transfers to C Chest Ara Chowk

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 PUNB0696700:

• 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 C CHEST ARA CHOWK is still linked to IFSC PUNB0696700.

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 PUNB0696700

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 Punjab National Bank – C CHEST ARA CHOWK is still mapped to IFSC PUNB0696700. 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 PUNB0696700 and the beneficiary's account number to complete the transfer.

Products and account variants supported

Every account opened at the C Chest Ara Chowk branch is mapped to IFSC PUNB0696700 on the RBI payments network. The branch generally supports the full retail product catalogue of Punjab National Bank, including:

• Resident savings accounts and salary accounts
• Current accounts for businesses and professionals
• Fixed deposits, recurring deposits and tax-saver deposits
• Demand drafts, banker's cheques and pay orders
• Retail loans — personal, vehicle, education, gold and home
• Credit cards and overdraft facilities (subject to eligibility)
• Third-party investment products such as mutual funds and insurance (through tie-ups)

Whichever product you choose, the IFSC for incoming credits remains PUNB0696700.

Products and services

Customers walking into the C Chest Ara Chowk branch can access most of Punjab National Bank'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 PUNB0696700

MICR code & cheque clearing

Apart from IFSC, every cheque book issued by Punjab National Bank carries a 9-digit MICR (Magnetic Ink Character Recognition) code that is read by cheque-sorting machines. The MICR code, the IFSC PUNB0696700 and the account number together uniquely identify the C Chest Ara Chowk branch and your account. The MICR for this branch is printed at the bottom of your cheque leaves.

Online banking and IFSC PUNB0696700

Punjab National Bank customers can register for net banking and the bank's official mobile app once their account at the C CHEST ARA CHOWK 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 PUNB0696700 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.

Things to verify before sending money

Banking errors are usually small typos that snowball into delayed credits and customer-care follow-ups. Use this short checklist before you confirm any transfer to Punjab National Bank – C CHEST ARA CHOWK:

• The IFSC is exactly PUNB0696700 with no extra spaces.
• The beneficiary's account number matches what they shared, digit for digit.
• The portal auto-fills Punjab National Bank as the bank name and C CHEST ARA CHOWK as the branch.
• The amount and the purpose of payment are correct.
• You have a valid OTP-verifying mobile number on hand.

A 30-second review here saves hours of reconciliation later.

How to reach the C Chest Ara Chowk branch

The branch is located at ARA CHOWK VIR COMPLEX JAILROAD, which puts it inside Arrah , Bihar, the broader Arrah , Bihar district, and the state of Bihar. To plan your visit:

1. Open Google Maps on your phone and search for “Punjab National Bank C Chest Ara Chowk branch” — the verified location pin for IFSC PUNB0696700 should appear at the top of the results.
2. Confirm the branch is open by calling the branch contact number 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 PUNB0696700 and your account number.

Verifying IFSC PUNB0696700 from official sources

The IFSC listed on this page is sourced from the RBI's master list and validated against the bank's branch directory. To double-check before transferring large sums, you can also confirm PUNB0696700 by:

• Looking at the cheque leaf – IFSC is printed near the MICR band.
• Opening the passbook's first page.
• Calling the branch directly on the branch contact number.
• Visiting the bank's official branch locator page.

Branch banking hours and holidays

Indian bank branches typically operate from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday to Friday, and from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM on working Saturdays (usually the 1st, 3rd and 5th Saturdays). The C Chest Ara Chowk branch is closed on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays, all Sundays and on national or regional bank holidays. Online channels using IFSC PUNB0696700, however, work 24x7.

Branch address & contact

Frequently asked questions

Summary

The IFSC code PUNB0696700 belongs to Punjab National Bank's C CHEST ARA CHOWK branch, located at ARA CHOWK VIR COMPLEX JAILROAD in ARRAH , BIHAR, BIHAR. Use this code along with the beneficiary's account number for any NEFT, RTGS or IMPS transfer to this branch. Bookmark this page for quick reference whenever you need the branch's banking details.