On day one of the reopening of Automated Teller Machines (ATM), the picture was one of chaos as people rushed to on and off-site ATMs in the hope of drawing new current notes of Rs. 2,000 and Rs. 500 denomination but they had to return empty-handed as many machines were ‘out of order.’
People’s search for ‘functional ATM’ ended in vain and they had to try their luck again as several machines remained shut due to the delay in arrival of cash from the bank’s coffers. At a few ATMs which were open, people had to play the waiting game because of serpentine queues.
A good number of them were drawing small notes of Rs.100 denomination to avoid the problem of change while others who had no other alternative, struggled to get their hands on new notes.
While the ATMs witnessed heavy rush, there were huge crowds at banks exchanging the old Rs.1,000 and Rs. 500 notes for new ones which have just started arriving at some places in the city. P. Ramakrishna Rao, a retired bank employee, said he turned up at Andhra Bank ATM located on the bank’s branch at Patamata in the morning and that he was fortunate to get four new Rs. 500 notes towards a sum of Rs. 2,000. He had to, however, scout for Rs. 100 notes.
A large number of customers like him lined up at the same ATM at 12 noon and managed to draw new notes.
Two on-site ATMs at State Bank of India branch near APSRTC’s city terminus at Autonagar were out of service as cash was not deposited by the bank staff. Inside the bank, it was a chock-a-block with customers waiting for their turn to exchange the phased-out notes for new ones.
Another on-site ATM of the State Bank of Travancore at NTR Circle was closed for the same reason as above. “I am waiting here in the hope that cash will be deposited in the ATM but there is no sign of it yet,” said an LIC pensioner V. Venugopala Rao.
Similar scenes were witnessed at various ATMs due to their closure while the banks’ staff struggled to dispense new notes. Preference was being given to account-holders in the exchange of old notes for the new legal tender.
