BENGALURU: The situation of non-functional ATMs might have improved a bit in the past couple of days, but it still remains far from satisfactory. Majority of ATMs in the city remained out of cash, adding to the woes of citizens reeling under demonetisation.
ATMs, that were functional, also mostly dispensed only Rs 2,000 notes. People still experience inconvenience in getting change for Rs 2,000 notes. Despite the tall claims of bank officials last week, hardly any ATM in the city is dispensing Rs 500 notes. Bank officials had assured that majority of ATMs will start dispensing Rs 500 notes within a week.
“The shortage of Rs 500 notes is because of some technical snag. RBI has failed to print them as per demand. There are reports of shifting the printing of Rs 500 notes to Mysuru press,” said a bank official.
However, a senior bank official from Canara Bank said, “We have received Rs 500 notes in abundance. Our ATMs are giving out Rs 500. However, Rs 100 notes are still very less in number. This has made countering change difficult.”
Rakshit B, a resident of Vasanthnagar said, “I managed to find a functioning ATM after visiting three ATMs. I was hoping to get my first Rs 500 on Tuesday but only got a Rs 2,000 note. I went to a pharmacy to buy medicine and they could not give me change. I guess Rs 2,000 was better in my account than in my hand.”
People thronged the few ATMs that were dispensing Rs 500 and they ran out of cash in no time.
A security personal at a HDFC ATM in HSR Layout said, “This ATM had a few Rs 500 notes. As people came to know about it, there was a long queue. By noon, all the Rs 500 notes got over.”