New Delhi, Nov. 26 -- A State Bank of India (SBI) branch, located on the first floor of a building in Bhadrak district of Odisha, was left completely inaccessible after its sole exterior staircase was destroyed during a major local anti-encroachment drive. For two days, customers and bank staff were compelled to use a makeshift ladder, mounted precariously on the back of a tractor, to visit the bank.

Video footage widely shared on social media captured the unusual scene: a ladder resting against the side of the building, secured by a tractor parked below. People are seen scaling the ladder, often with the assistance of a security guard and another man who helped manage their belongings during the ascent.

The clearance operation took pla...