In Delhi, people flock to post offices, ATMs for cash

Chaos seems to be the ‘order’ of the day in the national capital the morning after the Centre decided to ‘demonetise’ Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes on Tuesday.

Chaos seemed to be the ‘order’ of the day in the national capital the morning after the Centre decided to ‘demonetise’ Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes on Tuesday.

People flock to a post office on Wednesday.(Ritam Halder/HT Photo)

People were seen lining up at the ATMs and banks to exchange notes despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing in his address to the nation that banks and most ATMs would be out of service on November 9.

A guard outside an ATM in CR Park, south Delhi, said people are dropping in regularly since morning to inquire about the status.

People have also started flocking to the neighbourhood post offices to exchange notes. However, with the numbers swelling and lack of clarity over exchange of notes, the tempers seemed to be rising.

“The announcement came really late for me. I just have a few Rs 500 notes. Now, be it the grocer or the neighbourhood stationery shop, no one is taking it. How will I buy basic necessities. Now even this post office guys are saying nothing will happen today. Won’t the common man get angry,” Jaspreet Kaur, a 50-year-old Kalkaji resident, said.

Read: Delhi Metro will accept Rs 500, Rs 1,000 currency notes till Saturday

A post office official said they, too, had heard about the whole thing on news. “Usually we don’t give people change of currency, like a bank. Now we will get orders from senior officials in headquarters. Then only we can start giving out Rs 100 notes and take in Rs 500 and Rs1,000,” he said.

Banks, are closed for people but the staff are at work. At most branches shutters are down. Some, that have kept their doors open are facing patrons’ queries regarding the changed status of the demonetised currency notes.

“We are closed for business. But people in state of panic are coming and asking us all sorts of questions about this issue. We are trying to help,” a bank employee told HT before asking the guard on duty to lock the gate to keep away people.

All banks are closed. Wherever the door is open, people are peeking in for info on #100 notes instead of #500 & #1000 #BlackMoney @htTweets pic.twitter.com/Jp6Q5jo8UA

— Ritam Halder (@ritam_de_scribe) November 9, 2016