Bengaluru: Shortage of change saw tempers rise at a bank in BTM Layout on Monday morning. As the crowd outside UCO Bank became restless and tempers started to fray, police were called in.
“Bank official downed shutters and we had to regulate the crowd. Most of them had lined up to get change for Rs. 2,000 notes,” said a policeman who was trying to manage the crowd.
Barring stray incidents, most banks reported that crowds were noticeably thinner when compared to last week. While some bankers claim this is due to the use of indelible ink, which prevents people from exchanging currency every day, others claim it is due to lack of Rs. 100 currency notes.
“People walked into the bank with cash and ask us if we can provide them with a stack of Rs. 100 notes. The walk away when we reply in the negative,” said an official of a bank on St. Mark’s Road.
An official from a bank in Yelahanka narrated a similar story. “Many customers are asking change and demand Rs. 100 notes. But we have run out of stock. Things will improve at least if we get Rs. 500 notes soon,” said the official.
Rs 500 notes in two days?
Senior public sector bank officials said that the new Rs. 500 notes will be provided to banks in Bengaluru in the next two days. “The RBI first wants to send them to rural areas. People in the city are managing transactions by using online payment options and credit/debit cards,” said a senior official attached to a public sector bank.
