Travellers on National Highway 75 had a tough time at toll plazas on Wednesday. Vehicles were stranded as the travellers argued with the toll plaza staff over the latter’s refusal to accept Rs.500 and Rs. 1,000 currency notes. Travellers insisted that the notes be accepted as they did not have other currency notes with them, while the staff maintained that they cannot afford to give change to every customer.
When this reporter visited the toll plaza near Shantigrama in Hassan taluk, a truck driver was having a heated exchange with the toll plaza staff. He was heard arguing that he had been travelling for the past three days and he had no money except three currency notes of Rs.500. “From where can I get other notes?. You have to take it”, he argued. The woman at the counter said she did not have enough cash in lesser denomination to give him change. A senior staff in the toll plaza had a tough time convincing the travellers to pay the toll fee in smaller denomination.
When a traveller offered a Rs.100 currency note, the manager walked up to him and thanked him. “It has been a difficult task since morning. If everybody cooperates like you, the people can reach their destination early”, he said, pointing at the long queue of vehicles.
The travellers were in shock. Members of a family from Tumkur were on the way to Dharmasthala. “All that we have is Rs.500 notes. How can we manage our trip, if everybody stops accepting them”, wondered Somashekhar, who was driving the car.
Not aware
Many people were not aware of the sudden move. A school teacher wanted to recharge her cellphone currency on Wednesday. She offered a Rs.500 note to a shopkeeper on Salagame Road. As the shopkeeper refused to accept the note, she was in shock. She had no access to either television channels or newspapers till that time. “The teacher had no other notes except Rs.500. She did not have money to get a bus ticket to her school. Finally, I gave her Rs.20 for a bus ticket, as she is my regular customer”, said Vishwesharaiah, the shopkeeper.
The customers at small hotels also had difficulty in paying the bills. Prakash Shetty, who runs a hotel on M.G.Road in Hassan, said, “I lost many customers today because of the RBI move. I refused to provide food items for those came with only Rs.500 notes”.
