Rs 500, Rs 1000 note ban: Chaos at Patna Railway station; passengers being denied tickets

Patna: Government's decision of scrapping the Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes to tackle the issue of black money and corruption is causing some problems for the common man.

Though, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced that for 72 hours, till midnight on 11th November, railway ticket booking counters will continue to accept the high denomination notes, but passengers at Patna Railway Station complained that the officials were not giving them tickets after they gave them Rs 1000 note.

Narrating his ordeal, a young passenger at the Patna station said, “I am facing immense difficulty as I was turned away from the ticket counter, after I presented them a Rs 1000 note.”

He blamed the railway officials of not having a backup plan. The Centre yesterday announced that railway ticket booking counters, ticket counters of government buses and airline ticket counters at airports will accept the old notes for purchase of tickets, but officials here don't have enough change and are refusing to give money, the passenger claimed.

Another passenger who wished to travel by train shared the same experience.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday declared a "decisive" war against black money and corruption while disclosing a raft of steps to assure commoners that their money is safe.

High denomination notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 are no longer a legal tender from Tuesday midnight.

Persons holding old notes of five hundred or one thousand rupees can deposit these notes in their bank or post office accounts from 10th November till close of banking hours on 30th December 2016 without any limit.