Residents suffer as ATMs run out of cash

Ravi Chandel

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, December 12

People are having tough time as a majority of the ATMs in the city as well as rural areas are running out of cash.

Even the ATMs located near the bank branches are out of cash.

There are about 72 SBI ATMs in different parts of the city of which around 20 to 25 ATMs have cash. Similarly, a number of ATMs of the ICICI, HDFC and IDBI banks are also running out of cash.

A majority of city residents have alleged that these days it has become a big task to run from one ATM to other in search of cash.

Kuljit Grin, a city resident, said, “The banks should at least ensure enough cash in the ATMs located in areas such as the Civil Hospital, near bus stand and railway station for facilitating people, but the authorities concerned seem least bothered about it.”

Lakha Singh, a Rampura resident, said, “In Rampura, most of the ATMs are shut early in the evening and open late in the morning. Besides, a majority of the ATMs are running out of cash.”

Jagmohan Singh, another city resident, said, “If we are facing acute shortage of cash in the city, one can imagine the plight of those living in the rural areas where ATMs remain shut at night.”

When contacted, SBI regional manager Suresh Goyal attributed the problem to inadequate supply of Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for the past around 20 days.

Besides, he refuted the allegations of 50 ATMs going dry in the city while claiming that only 12 ATMs are not functioning due to cash crunch.

On the issue of ATMs remaining shut at night, he said, “Considering safety measures, we shut down the ATMs located in sensitive areas. Besides, we are not shutting down the ATMs located in urban areas.”