Majority of ATMs in Indiranagar not refilled since last week

Cash is scarce in one of the poshest shopping and food streets in Bengaluru — Indiranagar 100 Feet Road.

At least five ATMs on the busy road, located at walking distance from each other, have not been refilled since last week. The lone functional ATM ran out of cash within hours on Sunday.

The Karur Vysya Bank ATM, at the beginning of the street, was open only for cheque deposits. “Sometimes, customers argue with us out of sheer frustration. We call up NCR, the company that loads cash into the machine, and its representatives arrive within a few hours. But the bank itself is short of cash and can’t help us. Cash was last available here four days ago,” the security guard said.

November 14, 8 pm, was the last time the State Bank of Hyderabad ATM had cash. “Ever since, nobody from the bank has come to recalibrate or refill the machine,” said the guard.

The Federal Bank of India ATM, located next door, displays the ‘No Cash’ notice. The ATMs of Kotak Mahindra Bank and Axis Bank were shut without any guard.

The only exception was the State Bank of India ATM, but it put up a notice that only Rs 49,990 was available. By 2 pm, people were returning empty-handed.

Reduced footfall

Most of the 300-odd shops on Indiranagar 100 Feet Road accept debit and credit card payments. But footfall has reduced at several shops, while the EDC (card swipe) machines are not working at others.

At ‘W for Women’, an apparel store, the EDC machine didn’t receive the signal for three days. “We lost at least four customers, who could not pay and had to go back,” said the salesperson Thirunavukarasu.

The Pepe Jeans store faced a loss of Rs 1 lakh this week due to reduced footfall, said the store manager Manoben.