Tempers flare outside ATMs second day as cash crunch continues to frustrate serpentine queues

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: Long queues have built up outside ATMs and banks on the second day of the government allowing banks to dispense their ATMs cash in smaller denomination and new currency notes to common public.

In his government's battle against black money and fake currency, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday, announced that Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes will cease to be legal from midnight. It was also announced that banks and ATMs will be closed for public transactions on Wednesday and Thursday and will reopen only on Friday with new currency notes and smaller denomination notes. 

A large number of people beelined outside ATMs on Friday, but were unable to withdraw cash from ATMs, as the machines either went dry-unable to meet the huge demand for cash- or were not yet calibrated to meet the requirements of the new notes. Common public had turned restless and felt harassed by government's demonetisation drive.

According to bankers, the situation is unlikely to change for some more time, may be another 8-10 days. They also expressed their apprehensions with regard to chances of crowd becoming unruly for which they feel banks don't have adequate security arrangements. Reports of chaos and scuffle at bank branches and ATMs streamed in from different parts of the country yesterday. There were also reports of heated exchanges between hassled customers and overworked bank officials at several branches.

 To ckeck flaring tension of public outside dry or non-functional ATMs, Home Ministry has directed state governments to beef up security at all the cash points.

Apprehensive that the situation may get out of hands, the Home Ministry deputed three officials to be in touch with state governments to ensure security of banks, ATMs and cash transporting vehicles.

Home Ministry has issued advisory asking all the States to provide security to the banks, post offices and agencies managing ATMs and cash.

As per reports, the home ministry officials will be in constant touch with the Director General of Police of states and keep reviewing the law and order situation in each state.

Many ATMs across the country are yet to recalibrated  so that they can be used to dispense new currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 2000. There is also an issue of ATMs dispensing Rs 100 notes running dry, unable to meet the demand of long queues outside ATMs.

Considering the chaos at the ATMs and banks, central government has extended the deadline for using old currency notes for availing services that were exempted till November 11.

The suspension of toll at national highways too has been extended till midnight of November 14.