Following a banking holiday yesterday, long queues were seen at most of the banks in the city.
The main branch of the State Bank of India (SBI), near Coimbatore Junction (railway station) was thronged by people for operating various transactions, especially withdrawal of cash.
Sources say, it might take another month or two for the effects of demonetization to subside and the queues in front of the banks and ATMs to suppress. 'The plight of the employees, elderly and illiterate is becoming increasingly difficult due to the sudden announcement of the government. Working men and women have to apply for permissions and stand in these queues. In spite of waiting for hours, possibilities of cash getting emptied at the ATM is yet another big issue.
Digital transactions or the cashless transactions which the government proposes to use, is not possible at all places. Still there are places where they do not have a swiping machine at all. And, at times their telephone lines might get jammed leaving the cashless transactions impossible. To access day-to-day provision shops, vegetable/fruit vendors, small restaurants, road-side food spots and much more, just having debit and credit cards is useless', shares a senior citizen in the queue.
