Tourists and locals form long queues at ATMs, banks in Dharamshala, Mecleodganj
Author(s): Arvind SharmaDharamshala, November 11, 2016: The withdrawal from a bank or ATM these days is a tedious job in The tourist place, Dharamshala too, after the sudden demonetization of higher denomination notes . Tourists and backpackers...
Dharamshala, November 11, 2016: The withdrawal from a bank or ATM these days is a tedious job in The tourist place, Dharamshala too, after the sudden demonetization of higher denomination notes . Tourists and backpackers seem to be having difficult time as they neither have bank accounts to deposit their old cash nor can withdraw from ATMs, most of which were either out of cash or had long queues. “It is a pity it takes so much time. I have not had any kind of food because they would not accept these notes. I don’t have a bank account here,” said Alex from the Australia.
Long queues of people including tourists, monks, nuns, lay Tibetans, local Indians seen today, out side the ATMs ,in the Mecleodganj area of upper Dharamshala in Hill state of Himachal Pradesh near the official residence of the Tibetan Leader Dalai Lama. Banks braches were also seen over crowed in this sleepy tourist destination today, for the highly needed replacement of the currency notes,3 days after Prime Minister Modi announced demonetization of 500 and 1000 currency notes.
Dolma , 40 years old Tibetan lady teacher got her first withdrawal from the Bank at noon, though standing in queue since 7 in the morning ,said, “I was here from seven in the morning. There are very few counters to attend everybody but I managed to withdraw after a long wait. It is really crowed inside the bank.”
An individual is required to fill up a form and present a government issued ID to get 4000 Rupees in old notes exchanged with new ones. “I don’t know much about bank works. Luckily I got help in getting my form filled. The rush is bad and the waiting period is very long,” Kyizom, a 70-year old Tibetan said.
However a high ranked officer of a Nationalized Bank, said that it would take at least a week to return to normalcy. We have started to dispense the new 2000 rupee note from afternoon but we are yet to receive the 500 rupee notes as of now. Since it is only 4,000 rupee per person per day, we are expecting the rush over to remain at least for a week , as banks are not being closed for Satureday and Sunday and opening in the extended hours too.