Most ATMs in high-flying Lutyens’ Delhi non-functional

With the closure of banks for three consecutive days, Lutyens’ Delhi and its surrounding areas 

had ATMs non-functioning on Monday.

Many of the ATMs located in Connaught Place, Janpath, Shashtri Bhawan and Parliament Street too were without cash. In Daryagunj, where almost all the banks have their branches and ATMs, only one ATM of ICICI Bank was seen functioning. “In Lutyens’ Delhi, out of 20-30 ATMs, only three-four ATMs were working. ATMs in neighbouring areas too has similar situation. Very few of them are functioning in full capacity,” said a guard deployed at an ATM booth in the Parliament Street area.

People, who were in long queues even after five weeks of demonetisation, had no respite from the ongoing crisis. “Our ordeal has increased manifold since banks are closed and ATMs have no cash. As we required money urgently, we came to Lutyens’ Delhi but the situation is no different here. A few ATMs have been working but we could not get access as they are located inside government premises and only government staff are allowed to withdraw money from them. It is disappointing that no one is here to check such practices,” said Rajnish Arora, a middle-aged man who had come from South Delhi’s Lajpat Nagar to withdraw money.

Pradeep Agrawal, a businessman, who was passing through the Sansad Marg area stopped by when he saw the Punjab National Bank’s ATM was dispensing cash. “The server is very slow here. It is taking more than two minutes to dispense cash. I have been waiting for my turn for three hours. I do not have any cash, so except for waiting here, there is no option,” said Agrawal.

However, ATMs such as SBI (Rail Bhawan campus, Central Secretariat), Bank of India (Parliament Street), and Canara Bank (National Archives of India’s campus near Janpath) were dispensing cash but general public were not allowed by security personnel, citing that they cannot allow outsiders inside the campus of government offices. Only an ICICI ATM at Connaught Place (Outer circle) was seen running with cash. Amid utter chaos and search for cash, people were also seen arguing and helplessly pleading with each other at different ATMs. A total of 18 ATMs at Connaught place and 24 ATMs at Daryaganj were out of cash. Only ICICI ATM at Connaught place and Daryaganj were functional. At these ATMs, people queued up but without any hope to get cash because of the long queue.