Chennai

While several banks and ATMs are providing cash far below the allowed limit every now and then due to cash shortage, the damage caused by the cyclone has dealt a further blow with movement of cash vehicles coming to a grinding halt, resulting in the closure of some of the ATMs that were in action. Also, ATMs could not be used to access other services like cheques or cash deposit as electricity supply is yet to be restored in several localities due to fallen trees, snapping power cables. As the Centre announced the ban on Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes last month under its demonetisation move, people had to stand in long queues to deposit or withdraw cash from banks. 

Adding to those problems, ‘Vardah’ forced many banks to suspend services, while ATMs have gone dry. Even if banks had cash, personnel transporting them to the ATMs were unable to proceed as several trees were uprooted, virtually halting traffic movement, officials said. Since Tuesday was a holiday on account of Milad-un-Nabi, most ATMs had gone dry and banks remain closed causing great hardships to people. A hotel employee said people have been coming and making payments through debit and credit cards, but due to increase in usage of card payments, there has been a surge in traffic. “So some transactions passed successfully, but some could not. We asked them to pay in cash,” he said. Srivatsan, a private sector employee, said, “we were managing expenses by taking cash from banks. But now after the cyclone, we are unable to go out as roads have been cut off.”

Mobile phones dead

Cell phone network services were completely disrupted by cyclone Vardah throughout the city. Mobile services, including of Airtel, Vodafone, Idea, were hit in the city and its neighbouring districts.

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