Chennai: As most ATMs in the state that started dispensing cash on Friday ran dry within few hours, they remained shut whole of Saturday and this spelt increased trouble for public as most of the ATMs would be replenished with cash only on Monday, according to bank staff.
Normal life was affected in Tamil Nadu for the third consecutive day and Chennai had no respite despite its large network of banks and ATMs. Tamil Nadu being a state with over 23,000 ATMs saw most of the functional ATMs becoming non-functional on Saturday as people continued standing in long queues to get money.
Of six ATMs at the state secretariat, four had their shutters down since Saturday morning itself, one was non-functional and thus, the lone Syndicate Bank ATM that was functional was buzzing with a serpentine queue of over 500 people.
Similar scenario prevailed across many parts of south and central Chennai. In Velachery, frustrated with long queues and the absence of ATMs, people also started going to the malls only to find that ATMs there too, were not dispensing cash.
An Indian Bank ATM at Velachery witnessed huge crowds flowing into the main road, after three days of the announcement of demonetisation.
“For the past two days, I have been thinking of withdrawing cash, but even the ATMs at Phoenix mall are not working,” said V. Rani.
Bank officials, on the other hand, want customers who have smartphones and tablets to use mobile payment methods so as to reduce hassles for those standing in long queues.
“About 40 per cent of our ATMs are working across the country. We are requesting people to make use of e-payments and mobile wallet systems for banking so as to ease the process. It will take over a week or 10 days for the system to stabilise,” said CEO and managing director of City Union Bank Dr N. Kamakodi.
He added that the bank was refilling ATMs as soon as they received the money.
Bank staff at the Guindy branch of TMB bank were exchanging currency until afternoon, but soon, the assembled crowds had to disperse following currency notes being extinguished.
“The ATM was working till midnight, but today it was out of cash. We are awaiting money so as to replenish the notes. It will be done by Monday,” said a bank personnel.
