GUWAHATI, Nov 16 - To alleviate the hardship faced by the public, SBI has started five mobile vans in Guwahati to dispense cash at different locations, especially in major hospitals, nursing homes and areas with concentration of pensioners. Today one such van was exclusively engaged for SBI pensioners, delivering cash at their doorsteps. Other four vans have dispensed cash in different areas where there is concentration of pensioners like BBC Colony, Maligaon, Geetanagar, Paltan Bazaar, railway station, Vinobanagar, etc.
Since November 10, SBI, North East Circle has done 20.38 lakh transactions with a total transaction amount of Rs 12,059 crore through 700-plus branches. The bank has also done 1.18 lakh transactions through 2233 CSPs across the North East.
As of today, out of 3,122 SBI ATMs across the North East, 2236 are operational. In Assam, out of 1,983 ATMs, 1,274 are functional. Out of these ATMs, 245 ATMs across the North East are dispensing Rs 2,000 notes. In Guwahati city itself, 34 ATMs are fed with new Rs 2,000 notes. Arrangements have been made for 12 ATMs at 10 locations in Guwahati city to dispense cash @ 24x7 without cash-out position. These locations are � APSC Building, Khanapara, Dispur Dhaba, Six Mile, Tarun Nagar, Main Road, Bhangagarh, Adabari bus stand, Air India Building, Ganeshguri, Rupnagar, Pandu Port and SBI Dispur. This was stated in a press release.
Best efforts: Even as people are having a tough time in long queues in ATMs and banks, many banks are trying their best in ensuring that the customers have a hassle-free experience to the extent possible.
�We understand the tough times endured by the customers, especially the elderly and the differently-abled. We have arranged for separate queues for senior citizens and differently-abled people on the ground floor,� Sumangali Choudhury, Chief Manager, SBI, Refinery Complex branch, Noonmati, said.
She added that the bank staff were operating well past their normal office hours to cater to the rush. �We expect the rush to subside a bit after one week,� she said.
Choudhury said that their ATMs were functioning to their full capacity. �The situation will ease further once we get the Rs 2,000 and Rs 500 denomination notes in sufficient numbers,� she said.
Notes recovered: Defunct notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denominations were reportedly recovered from near the Bharalu River in Anil Nagar locality here.
A section of people alleged that some passers-by spotted the notes after which they collected the defunct notes this morning. This is the second such incident in the last two days after torn notes of identical denominations were recovered from two different localities in Guwahati city.
