Demonetisation: Queues outside banks, ATMs get shorter

On the 13th day today since demonetisation, the queues witnessed outside banks and ATMs were shorter in the megapolis in the wake of certain restrictions on money exchange norms by the Centre.

"I have been keeping a tab over the situation in the past 12 days and I can say that since the government decided to apply indelible ink, the queues before banks have substantially reduced. Similarly, the queues outside the ATMs have also shortened," said Jitendra Gupta, a city-based transport activist.

Gupta has also started a Whatsapp group to know the pulse of the Mumbaikars.

O P Sharma, a retired officer from Central Railway, claimed that the queues in the banks are getting shorter and situation is improving gradually.

He said, "No doubt that lines outside the banks, ATMs and Post Offices are getting shorter day-by-day and I hope that it will get better in the coming day." "I am a senior citizen and after spending half an hour in the queue outside a state-run bank in Fort area here, I was told that bank is not exchanging money today. Why did they not put a board outside?" he said.

A Boriwali resident, waiting in a queue outside a bank in suburban Jogeshwari, heaved a sigh of relief as his money was deposited in less than 20 minutes.

"I was in a branch of a private bank and I found that queues were being cleared quickly . My turn came in less than 20 minutes. Similarly the queue outside ATM was quickly cleared. It appears that money has started finally flowing in," said the resident.

On November 8, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the decision to demonetise Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 currency notes.