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As it happened: People face problems as ATMs run dry, down shutters with notice of no cash left

Most Of The ATMs In West Bengal Ran Dry Within Few Hours Of Reopening Forcing The People To Make A Beeline For Banks. They Downed Their Shutters And Put Up Notices Announcing That They Were Left With No Cash.

News Nation Bureau | Edited By : Kanishk Sharma | Updated on: 11 Nov 2016, 08:33:59 PM
Many ATMs ran out of cash in couple of hours as there was a heavy rush to withdraw lower denomination currency. (Getty Images)

New Delhi:

Most of the ATMs in West Bengal ran dry within few hours of reopening forcing the people to make a beeline for banks. They downed their shutters and put up notices announcing that they were left with no cash.

In Gujarat, Depositors are complaining about the "time-consuming"procedure they have to undergo in order to exchange their cash at the banks. many ATMs ran out of cash within hours while many others did not open at all, thus adding to the frustation of people.

Congress Vice president Rahul Gandhi was on Friday seen standing in queue with public at SBI ATM in Parliament street, Delhi. “The common man is suffering, that is why I am standing with my people. I am here to exchange 4000 rupees,” he said.

Elderly man collapses while standing in queue at Mumbai ATM to withdraw cash, dies

Long queues were witnessed at banks and ATMs, which opened after two days, as people rushed to get new banknotes in lieu of their old defunct bills. 

Many ATMs ran out of cash in couple of hours as there was a heavy rush to withdraw lower denomination currency. 

Most of the machines were equipped to tender Rs 100 notes, while some were still not working.

More than two lakh cash machines (ATMs) across the country have started dispensing new hard-to-fake currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 from Friday following PM Narendra Modi's announcement that Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes would cease to be legal tender.

In Muzaffarnagar, several people were injured after police resorted to lathicharge during a protest against inadequate arrangements at banks to change the old currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000.

The police action resulted in stone pelting by the protesters who also ransacked public property.

Read | ATMs to dispense new 'hard-to-fake' currency notes from Friday: Govt

Cash management agencies that move billions of rupees in and out of ATMs across the country have also carried out a major exercise that may see Rs 40,000 crore worth of notes being shifted around and hope to normalise operations for the public in two weeks.

Some ATM management companies have even set up 'war rooms' to ensure smooth functioning of cash machines.

Here are the live updates from major cities:

New Delhi

People started queuing up at ATMs as early as 6am in the morning. Serpentine queues were seen outside cash dispensing booths in the Capital as people jostled to get lower denomination currency and new banknotes to pay for their daily basic needs. People are facing difficulties in paying for household items, essential commodities and vegetables as they are running out of savings of small currencies while it was tough to get cash from banks which opened on Thursday after a day's break.

Read: Withdrawals, deposits and ATMs: Know how to deal with currency overhaul at banks 

Lucknow

People in Uttar Pradesh's capital city were seen fretting over inadequate arrangements at ATM booths. Hundreds of angry and panicking customers returned from ATMs empty-handed as most of the machines were found in-operational. Customers say that they have until December 30 to deposit or exchange their 500-and 1000-rupee notes for smaller bills or the new 2000-rupee note that is expected to make counterfeiting harder.

Mumbai

Serpentine queues were seen outside ATM booths in country's industrial capital Mumbai too as people jostled to withdraw money from cash dispensing machines. Mumbaikars started queuing up early morning and banks too are witnessing unprecedented huge rush and therefore, they have sought the deployment of police personnel to deter any unwarranted circumstances. Several ATM machines have ran out or cash in early hours.

Kolkata

In Kolkata also, people complained about in-operational ATMs. 

"No cash yet in ATMs. We can adjust for 2-3 days as its a good step, just hope everything will be sorted out soon," said Abhijit, a Kolkata resident.

Bengaluru

Jaipur

ATM ran out of cash early morning on Friday as people lined up to withdraw money for their household needs. The in-operational cash machines triggered a panic among customers who hoping for some respite after a two-day break. There are reports that some bank ATMs are not accepting cards of other lenders.

Read: Long queues at banks, chaos at petrol pumps; how people are coping with Modi govt's currency demonetisation move

Bhopal

Madhya Pradesh's capital also witnessed long queues outside banks and ATMs. People said that they were not happy with the arrangements made by banks.

"I have checked all the ATMs in the 2km radius and none are working," a Bhopal resident said. 

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First Published : 11 Nov 2016, 08:12:00 AM

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