From March 1, 2026, a series of changes are coming into effect, from SIM cards to railways, which will directly impact your smartphone usage and household budget. Let's take a look at ...read more

As soon as the calendar turns, many rules related to your daily life will change. Starting March 1, 2026, changes related to SIM cards, banking, and railways will be implemented, which will directly impact your smartphone usage and household budget. These changes aim to strengthen digital security and make services more transparent. Let's explore five major changes that will take effect tomorrow:

1. Now WhatsApp will stop working if you remove your SIM.

To curb digital fraud and 'OTP scam', the government is implementing strict SIM Binding rules from tomorrow.

1. Now your messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal will be “locked” directly to your SIM card.
2. If you remove the SIM card from your phone, these apps will immediately stop working. Cloning or using these apps via Wi-Fi without an active SIM will no longer be possible.

2. 'RailOne' will be the new charioteer

This is a major update for train travellers. The old method of booking general and platform tickets is now going to change.

• The old UTS app of the Railways may be discontinued from March 1. In its place, the new 'RailOne' app will now be fully activated.
• Passengers are advised to download the 'RailOne' app before their journey to avoid standing in long queues for tickets at the station.

3. LPG cylinder

As on the first of every month, oil companies will review LPG prices tomorrow. Commercial gas cylinder prices may fluctuate depending on international crude oil and gas prices. Domestic LPG consumers will also be closely monitoring these changes.

4. Bank accounts are now a game of 'average'

If you're worried about not being able to maintain the minimum balance, this news is useful. Banks are changing the way they calculate balances.

• Now banks will consider Average Monthly Balance (AMB) as the basis instead of the balance of any particular day.
• If your account runs out of funds on one day due to an emergency, you can maintain a higher balance in the next few days to make up the monthly average and avoid heavy penalties.

5. High-value UPI transactions

Online transfers of large sums of money will no longer rely solely on a PIN. Starting March 1st, banks are mandating additional biometrics or multi-factor authentication for high-value transactions. If you're sending a large amount, additional verification, such as fingerprint or face ID, may be required.

 PC:Nai Duniya