Foul play by Banks in difficult times

I have a savings Bank account with HDFC Bank. Today I visited HDFC Bank, Ghansoli Navi Mumbai branch to withdraw Rs. 10,000/- because majority of ATMS were still running without any cash.

When I joined the queue at around 11:20 Hrs., I counted that nearly 35 people were there before me in the the queue and there could be another 5 to 6 people inside the branch. Since the main Glass entrance door was closed manned with two security personnel, one inside and another outside, one cannot see what was going on inside the branch. It was expected that I will finish my job in an hour or so. Believe it or not I reached the counter at around 16:15 Hrs! After being in queue for nearly 5 Hrs. and only 40 odd people before me. That means, at an average, nearly 7 to 8 customers were attended per hour.

But, I am sure, if someone checks their records, including IDs of the people who actually stood in the queue and did transactions, he will find that, much more transactions were done than an average of 7 to 8 transactions per hour.

Towards the end, when I reached near the entrance gate, I started keeping an eye on my watch. I observed that, at an interval of 20 minutes, 2 people were allowed to enter into Bank. Wow! Nearly 10 minutes per customer!

When I entered the branch, I found that, there were just 4 chairs for people to sit and another two customer standing. That means, there were only 6 customers at a time, inside the branch.

Nearly 8 to 10 Bank employees were roaming around, but only one counter was functioning in the branch for all the three activities namely Exchange of currency, deposits or withdrawal.

I had to withdraw money through cheque and my KYC is updated with the Bank. Still the Bank asked me to provide my ID proof. After I gave them my ID, they took a photocopy of same, stamped and signed that my ID is seen and verified by one of the employees of the Bank. Still, when I reached the counter the counter girl asked me to show original ID once again! Didn't she trust her own peers? Or what was the need of earlier formality of verification of ID?

At the counter I told them to give minimum possible numbers of 2000 denomination notes. She said that, for a withdrawal of Rs. 10,000/- she will tender 4X2000 and 20X100 notes. I refused to accept because, I cannot run after exchanging 2000 currency notes. I told her that I can accept 2X2000 notes at the most and remaining she should give in 100 denomination notes.

After my refusal, the Branch manager appeared. He said, he can tender money in the denomination already mentioned to me otherwise I can lodge a complaint in their complaint register. I told him that, he should refuse in writing tendering the money in the denomination I sought and then I would be able to lodge the complaint otherwise I won't have any evidence that the Bank had refused to tender the notes in the denomination I sought. He refused to give it in writing but continued insisting on my lodging the complaint.

After a wait of nearly 10 minutes, they accepted my request and believe it or not, they tendered 80X100 and 1X2000 denomination notes. Wow!. Had I not insisted, they would have coolly handed me over 4X2000 and 20X100 denomination notes.

This clearly indicates that some foul play is going on in Banks. They are attending only 7 to 8 customers per hour and doing some other activity behind closed doors. Also, they want to tender the money only in higher (2000) denomination notes.

The designated Government authority, responsible for Banking, should take note of this episode and take desired necessary corrective measures, otherwise, the whole purpose of the exercise could be defeated. more