Within less than a couple of hours after the sensational announcement of demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes by Prime Minister Modi on Tuesday evening, serpentine queues were a common sight in almost each and every ATM and petrol pump in the city.
"If he wants to take on black money, Prime Minister should target Swiss Bank first. Why to trouble a common man like me who has Rs 5,000 in my account?’’ asks Y Yadagiri who works for a private firm while waiting for his turn at a SBI ATM near Vidyanagar here late on Tuesday night.
The same mood is also shared by most of the 100 people who were with him in the line. Sukumar Reddy, a govt job aspirant, feels that the move is good. "But can’t you find a better way to do this?’’ he asks while impatiently looking at his watch.
Everybody preferred multiple withdrawals of Rs 400 as they give four Rs 100 notes which is also time consuming. At another ATM in Abids, there was a stampede as people feared that the Rs 100 notes had got exhausted.
There is unprecedented rush at petrol pumps too. Commuters are seen quarreling with staff of some petrol pumps who refused to accept Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes.