The difficulties faced by pilgrims at Sabarimala on account of demonetisation are easing, thanks to some precautionary measures taken by Dhanlaxmi Bank,which is the official banker of the Travancore Devaswom Board, and the State Bank of Travancore.
Dhanlaxmi Bank has opened an additional ATM at the Lower Tirumuttom.
P. Manikantan, Dhanlaxmi Bank General Manager, and M.P. Sreekumar, Assistant General Manager, told The Hindu that the bank had kept ready lower denomination currencie notes worth Rs.6 crore at its currency exchange counters at Sabarimala. Debit and credit card swiping machines have been provided at all the Prasadom counters, they said.
Mr. Sreekumar said an additional currency exchange has been opened at Sabarimala. The rush of people for currency exchange too has come down.
The SBT sources said the functioning of the bank’s two ATMs at Pampa and Sannidhanam was disrupted till Wednesday afternoon owing to connectivity problems. The defects were rectified and the machines started functioning from Thursday afternoon.
Dhanlaxmi Bank sources said almost 80 per cent of the‘Kaanikka’ at Sabarimala were Rs. 50, Rs. 20 and Rs. 10 notes.
What the pilgrims say?
“We came in a group of 23 pilgrims from Salem in Tamil Nadu. Anticipating a possible shortage of lower currency notes at Sabarimala, we have mobilised lower denomination currencies worth Rs. 40,000 before embarking on the pilgrimage,’’ says 54-year-Venkitaraman, a Postal Department staff.
Shaji C.R from Moothakunnam near Kodungallur said he had faced much difficulty in getting money from the banks to meet the expenses for his daughter’s marriage last week.
But he reached Sabarimala on his annual pilgrimage after mobilising sufficient money, Mr. Shaji said.
Unni from Perinad, a priest at the Balithara on the banks of river Pampa, said pilgrims who offered Balitharpanam had got sufficient stock of lower denomination currencies.
