Queue at ATM

Hyderabad/Vijayawada:  There was no end to people’s woes in the wake of demonetization of high value currency notes even on 13th day across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.Long queues were seen at banks and ATMs in Hyderabad, Warangal and other towns in Telangana. The situation was no different in Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam and other towns in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.A day after the weekend, people in large numbers flocked to banks for exchange of cash, withdrawal of money through cheques or depositing the spiked notes of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 in their accounts.

Standing in serpentine queues for cash, people were becoming impatient. At one of the branches of Syndicate Bank in Borabanda area in Hyderabad, people vented their anger by raising slogans. They complained that the spiked notes were not exchanged for last four days.

As the tension mounted, the bank manager locked the branch and left the place along with other staff. Majority of ATMs remained shut, bringing no respite to the people. ‘No cash’ boards greeted customers at the ATMs.Even those ATMs which were opened were dispensing only Rs 2,000 notes. People complained that the note is of little help to them as small currency notes were not available in the market.

The business remained dull in both the Telugu states with small traders hit hard by the cash crunch.Farmers who bring the vegetables at Guddimalkapur, one of the major markets in Hyderabad, complained that there were few buyers due to non-availability of loose change. “Everybody is coming with Rs 2,000 note to buy Rs 50 or Rs 100 of vegetables. Nobody has change,” said one of the sellers.

People said the situation would not improve unless Rs 500 notes are made available in banks and ATMs.Leaders of the Left parties staged a sit-in at State Bank of India branch in Visakhapatnam, demanding immediate steps to provide relief to people.Congress’ Andhra Pradesh unit chief N. Raghuveera Reddy told reporters in Vijayawada that all sections of people were badly hit by the sudden move of the Narendra Modi government.He said the demonetisation of 86 percent currency without making alternate arrangements had led to chaos, hitting hard the common man. He demanded Rs 10 lakh compensation each for the families of those who died due to demonetisation.