Deluge leaves bank staffers exhausted, and it’s only Day 1

GURGAON: “Never have I seen such huge influx of people at the same time,” said Bhavna Chaturvedi, sitting at the cash counter of a private bank on MG Road. She has been working in the banking sector for the last seven years. “Even though public notices have been put up and special representatives deployed to guide customers, there’s panic among people,” she added.
Bhavna was voicing the concern of hundreds of banking professionals across NCR, as banks opened on Thursday morning roughly 38 hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s surprise announcement on Tuesday evening that Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes were being withdrawn. With the PM also declaring all banks would remain closed on Wednesday, lakhs of people rushed to exchange their redundant notes on Thursday morning.
It was a tiring day for bank employees, what with working hours also extended beyond the usual to cope with the rush.
According to many employees, several customers appeared completely flummoxed by the terms and conditions of the exchange. “Not many people were aware that surcharge for using ATMs of different banks had been waived off. Amid the thousands queueing up at banks to deposit invalidated notes, they too queued up to withdraw money, amid shortage of Rs 100 notes. It led to chaotic scenes at our branch,” said Ahmed Mohammed, a customer care executive at a nationalised bank in South City II.
There was a lot of confusion regarding the closing time of banks as well. “As per the government’s instructions, we were to close doors at 6pm. But there still were many waiting in queue. They began arguing with security guards, saying the deadline was 8pm. We struggled to make them understand that we were working under government notification,” said a manager at a SBI branch in Sector 18.
Representatives at the senior citizen’s desk, too, wore a harried look. “Senior citizens always demand extra attention. Over the years, our bank branch has met their expectations. But on Thursday, we had to make many of our elderly customers wait, due to the huge queues at all counters. Coming immediately after Diwali, with many of our employees still on leave, the sudden currency demonetisation was difficult to manage,” said Prabhu K Singha, branch manager of a private bank. One day into the new currency regime, some employees were already planning a day off on Friday. “I don’t think I can come to office tomorrow. It’s 7pm already, and I’m still working. Normally, I leave at 4pm. I’m too exhausted to face the chaos again tomorrow,” said a 45-year-old bank employee, requesting anonymity, adding with a baleful glance, “Unfortunately, all bank employees have been given strict instructions to attend office regularly for at least the next week.”