PANJIM: ATMs in Panjim were largely empty on Saturday with the exception of the odd machine that dispensed some currency notes. The early morning queues outside banks were absent by afternoon as there was no cash left to distribute. The general consensus was that money would be available on Sunday, though it would be prudent to visit the ATM or the bank very early in the day. All banks will be open for business on Sunday.
While the ICICI branch in Panjim had shut, the Axis branch of the 18 June Road had a queue of people waiting to withdraw money. The average waiting time was 15 minutes which was not much for the people many of whom were domestic tourists. The fate of those with accounts in cooperative banks was far worse as these banks had no money in their coffers to pay their account holders.
HDFC officials at the 18 June Road branch stated that cash would be paid out tomorrow by staff as well as the ATM machine. Another problem that emerged in Panjim market is the reluctance of small traders to accept the
Rs 2000 note citing an absence of adequate change to pay back. Bigger retailers were accepting the currency note but a store manager said it was difficult because the number of Rs 100 notes were limited.
Surendra and Arti Krishnan from Bengaluru and in Goa on holiday were tense as they were down to their last Rs 1000 and needed liquid cash to pay for the taxi ride to the airport on Sunday. Surendra said, “We came over on Monday and it has been a battle everyday to get cash to pay taxis and restaurants. We are staying in a hotel that accepts plastic, so that should not be a problem.”
Meanwhile, Sangram Singh Sr VP, Card & Acquiring Business Axis Bank, who is Goa for the ‘CEO Cup Regatta’, said business in his debit card division had increased by 60 per cent in the last two days and this kind of growth could be expected for a sometime in the short term.
