Kerala: ATMs remain dry on Day 9

The scramble for currency across the state lessened on Thursday, the ninth day of demonetisation of high value currencies, even though a good share of ATMs remained dry. Most ATMs especially the stand-alone ones had no cash in Thiruvananthapuram. DC reporters who made a reality check on the Kowdiar-Vazhuthacaud stretch found five ATMs had put up a message “Sorry cannot dispense cash. Sorry for the inconvenience.”   At some places the shutters were half down. However, ATMs, especially the ones located in buildings housing bank branches, were functional.

A single-hand post-office at Cotton Hill had received no money from the Poojappura Head Office. Superintendent of post-offices, south division, B. Padmakumar said that all post-offices were supposed to host money exchanges. He said the feedback he received suggested that the rush had reduced at all post-offices. The search for small denomination currency continued in Kochi and its surrounding areas on the ninth day, too. Swapna Rajesh, a native of Tamil Nadu settled in the suburban South Chittoor, said she was not able to change her Rs 2,000 note into smaller denominations from a nearby bank.

“I have no option other than to go again to the bank on Friday as I needed to settle some utility payments,” she said. The lottery sector is one of the worst hit by currency ban decision, say vendors in Kaloor. People are unwilling to buy lottery tickets due to the tight supply of small denomination notes, they added. Most ATM counters remained closed in Kozhikode due to shortage of currency while those with money were easily identifiable with long queues in front of them. Many banks filled the ATMs with money in the morning but all of them ran out of stock within hours.

Only a few of the banks had enough cash stock to refill the ATMs, said a bank official. Several new generation banks ensured special queue for their customers.  With lesser number of bank branches,  the rush in front of banks and ATMs was much high in rural areas. However the public heaved a sigh of relief as at least a few ATMs ensured cash throughout the day.