The queue in front of ICICI bank in Sector 18, Noida
Today, November 18, is the 10th day after the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. One would think the rush at banks and ATMs would ebb by now. But the chaos is the same as the day it was announced, November 8. Hordes of people are queuing up in front of banks, desperate for some valid tender to run their families, shops or business, and re-introduce some semblace of peace in their lives. While some banks have figured out ways to manage the crowd, some have managed to figure out ways to make the process a little easier.
Our lensman Samrat Roy visited Sector 18, Noida, today to take a look at the state of affairs today. Here's what he saw:
BANKING ON HOPE: Most banks, like this branch of Oriental Bank of Commerce, continued to allow only small groups of people to enter so they could better manage operations. On average, it is still taking about two hours to withdraw or exchange cash.
WHAT'S YOUR I QUEUE? Yes, that's a term we just coined that stands for your level of patience and endurance while waiting in a line. This scene is from Citibank, Sector 18. There were no separate queues for women. Despite the government's announcement that cash would now be available at select petrol pumps, there was no respite for banks, as crowds kept milling in.
BACK BREAKING: Despite being a weekday, office-goers took time off from work to stand in line to withdraw cash and exchange old notes.
THINGS TO DO IN A QUEUE: Some came well prepared for cash withdrawals. This man promptly sat down with a book to kill time while waiting in queue at ICICI bank.
