HDFC app resumes working after afternoon hiccup

Users of HDFC Bank MobileBanking app were unable to log in or use the portal, with a notice displaying an acknowledgement of a problem at the bank’s end, for about an hour on Tuesday afternoon. 

At 1:38 PM, the bank tweeted that the problem has been resolved. 

Please note the issues around mobile banking app is now resolved. Customers can now use NetBanking and mobile banking app for transactions. We regret the inconvenience and thank you for your patience.

— HDFC Bank News (@HDFCBankNews) June 15, 2021

A company spokesperson relayed the same memo in response to TechCircle’s request for comment. 

It is unclear what caused the disruption. 

A screenshot of the HDFC Bank app at 12:58 PM Tuesday | Credit: TechCircle 

“We are experiencing some issues on the MobileBanking App. We are looking into this on priority. Request you to please use NetBanking to complete your transaction. Regret the inconvenience caused,” the initial notice said on the app, post noon. 

We are experiencing some issues on the MobileBanking App. We are looking into this on priority and will update shortly. Customers are requested to please use NetBanking to complete their transaction. Regret the inconvenience caused. Thank you.

— HDFC Bank News (@HDFCBankNews) June 15, 2021

The latest downtime falls into similar downtimes faced by users at India’s largest private sector lender. Late April, CEO Sashidhar Jagdishan wrote to all employees detailing five different instances of downtime in a period of 28 months.  

"We see them (challenges) as opportunities that are being presented, for us to strategize, invest, re-skill and prepare to achieve greater heights in every business segment we are in and serve our customers better,” Jagdishan had said in the letter, a copy of which was reviewed by TechCircle. 

The bank has since been trying to rethink its technology, data centre, and cloud strategy. 

HDFC Bank was under the Reserve Bank of India’s scanner for the reported mishaps. In December 2020, the regulator had reprimanded the lender in the light of incidents of outages in its internet banking and payment systems. 

RBI had then asked HDFC Bank to temporarily stop the business generating IT (information technology) applications and other digital business launch activities as well as sourcing new credit card customers.