No queues outside ATMs, banks as most of them have ‘no cash’

Even after facing hardship for 50 days, people across the Capital are not going to get relief as reports of “no cash” at majority ATMs and “inadequate money” in a few banks have been haunting various nooks and corners of the city. 

People up at ATMs and banks, meanwhile, claim hardly any change in ground reality can be seen. “Despite the tall claims of the government and other agencies to solves our woes, no significant change is visible on ground. Disappearance of crowd from ATMs and banks alone cannot solve the actual crisis as people need adequate money in their pockets to live a normal life. Though the deadlines is over, we have been wandering pillar to post in search of money. It appears that no measure has been taken to improve poor/non-functioning ATMs and banks,” said Ramendra Nath, a South Delhi resident who queued up at an ATM in Connaught Place.

People, who were in queues even after the end of the deadline, complained of no relief from the ongoing crisis. They claimed two-third ATMs were dry while most of them had issues dispensing cash. 

“We have already spent the earlier withdrawn money and now, when weekends, New Year and pay days are coming simultaneously, we need sufficient cash to manage our daily expenses. The agencies, that had promised to sort out the problems, are looking helpless as no new initiative has been enforced to ease out the situation. People are still wandering from one ATM booth to another and banks as well. Neither refilling of ATMs are being done on a regular basis nor efforts are being made to ensure running of ATMs abandoned since the ban of higher currency notes. Not only will our New Year celebrations this year be damp, I am worried more so as the pay days are coming near and more number of salaried people will be seen thronging the ATMs,” said Rajesh Panwar, a middle-aged man who looking for money at ATMs located at the Inner Circle.

“Our ordeal has increased manifold since banks are closed while ATMs have no cash. As we required money urgently, we first went to Connaught Place and then to Lutyen’s Delhi but the situation is no different from other places. A few ATMs have been working but access of ordinary public is not allowed. It is disappointing that no authority is here to check such practices,” said Sundaram, a 25-year-old youth. 

People, standing in lines, claimed that the situation is grim in areas which are far away from media cameras or are remotely located. “The agencies have been focusing more in Connaught Place and other key areas where media can report the misery but not paying attention on areas that are far away. There are scores of areas which have been unattended since long,” said Dhruv Gupta, another Delhiite.

A visit to the Central parts of the city revealed the sordid state of affairs resulting in multiplication of the plight of the common man. Many of the ATMs located at the outer circle of Connaught place, Janpath, Shashtri Bhawan, Parliament streets were too seen running out of cash.