Senior citizens, who went to bank branches on Saturday to exchange demonetised currency, were able to do so with ease. Meera Gidwai, who went to a nationalised bank’s branch at R.S. Puram, said that she went to exchange four notes of Rs. 500 each and was able to do so in no time.
The branch people called her in, verified her documents and gave her the new currency, a Rs. 2,000 note thereafter.
“I had no trouble at all,” she said.
R. Vasu of Viswanathapuram went to the Saibaba Colony branch of a nationalised bank to exchange and withdraw currency.
After finding a queue, he stood there but the bank officials asked him go straight in and complete his transaction at the earliest.
M. Uma Sankari, Chief Manager, Saibaba Colony branch, State Bank of India, said that the branch had opened an additional counter on Saturday. Though the branch had not earmarked the additional counter as senior citizen-only, it was according priority to them.
On the Big Bazaar Street branch of a nationalised bank, customer S.S. Sharfudeen said that the senior citizen counter would be of no help as people had already suffered enough.
Since the announcement of demonetisation drive, this was his first visit to the branch to exchange currency.
The officials had asked for photocopies of Aadhaar and once he furnished those, he hoped he would be able to quickly exchange the demonetised currency notes.
Lead bank officials said that though the number of senior citizens was higher in bank branches, the crowd had come down.
It was almost 45 to 50 per cent of what was on day one for withdrawal and deposit and 30 per cent for exchange.
On the special withdrawal limit for wedding, the officials said that there were very few complaints and those had been sorted out.
DMK distributes snacks
Members of the DMK Youth Wing on Saturday distributed biscuits and water to people waiting outside the Saibaba Colony branch of a nationalised bank.
Following a call given by the party treasurer M.K. Stalin to help people waiting outside banks, the cadre led by State Deputy Secretary Pynthamil Pari distributed biscuits and water.
A few cadre also helped people in queue by filling up forms.
Coimbatore Urban District Treasurer P. Nachimuthu said that the party cadre distributed the packets till 2 p.m. Saturday and would continue to do so on Monday.
Bank officials said that though the number of senior citizens was higher in branches, the crowd had come down
