BENGALURU: Even after 20 days of demonetisation, several ATMs in the city and across the state continue to be closed. There are 16,929 ATMs across the state of which 70 per cent have been calibrated and configured with the new currency notes. However, it has become a tough task to find a functional ATM with Rs 500 and Rs 100 notes still scarce. ATMs that do function continue to disburse Rs 2,000 notes.
Bank officials, however, confirmed that Rs 500 notes were received in abundance on Monday, but Rs 100 continues to be scarce.
Sources say the logistics issues faced by Reserve Bank of India and the Finance ministry delayed delivery of new notes to banks. This further held up the process of loading cash into ATMs. Bankers were hoping that the new Rs 500 and Rs 100 notes would be widely circulated from Monday, but the situation is far from achieving that.
A bank official said, “People want Rs 100. There are very few people queuing up at ATMs that are disbursing Rs 2,000 notes. Queues at ATMs giving out Rs 100 and Rs 500 continue to be long.”
The dearth of functional ATMs has only added to the frustration of residents.
Rakesh M, a corporate employee, said, “I visited all three ATMs on Cunningham Road and I could not find a single one that worked. This is a scary situation.”
Sonali P, an accountant, said, “I visited 18 ATMs between Kodigehalli and Cantonment, but none of the machines had cash. At Shesadripuram too, it was the same.”
With ATMs shut, people are now crowding at banks. The number of people visiting banks had fallen in the past few days.