A day after holiday, Mumbai banks wake up to long queues

Long queues were seen outside various banks in the city on Tuesday morning, with people standing in lines as early as 8am.

Long queues were seen outside various banks in the city on Tuesday morning, with people standing in lines as early as 8am. A few even came at 4 am.

People queued up outside banks and ATMs even as their shutters were down. (HT)

People queued up outside banks and ATMs even as their shutters were down. This was the scene in the central Mumbai: Parel, Dadar, Sion and Matunga. Similar queues were witnessed in the city’s western suburbs.

“First two days people panicked, next two days they got angry and eventually they have got used to it,” said Altaf Ali, who works at a hardware shop in Borivli. “Our Prime Minister knows the pulse of people and hence knew people would adjust to it,” he added.

People started forming lines five hours before the banks opened.

Shambhoo Shrivats, a paanwala, slept next to the gate of a Borivli bank. “I came at 4am and slept here to be first in the queue. Sleeping home or here is the same. My shop is just opposite the bank,” Shrivats said.

Tuesday was likely to see more long queues as Monday was a bank holiday.