Long queues outside banks to exchange Rs 500, Rs 1000 notes

New Delhi: People were seen standing in long queues outside banks in various cities to collect the new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 currency notes as banks reopened on Thursday morning after remaining closed for two consecutive days. The Delhi Police have made adequate arrangements to ensure law and order and smooth demonetisation process in the national capital. Similar arrangements were seen outside branches of various banks in Mumbai as well. (Pictures from Mumbai below) Following specific arrangements have been made apart from the general arrangements:

• Police arrangements at all banks ensuring safety and facilitating government demonetising policy.

 

• Police arrangements at ATMs.

 

• Police arrangements at all petrol pumps ensuring due law and order.

 

• Kendriya Bhandar, Safal centres, Pharmacies, Hospitals, Mother dairies etc. also have to be covered with adequate police coverage.

 

• Banks have been requested to put up proper notice covering scheme details at all bank gates assuring people requesting to keep patience and cooperate.

 

• Apart from police deployment, patrolling staff will also be covering all vulnerable premises.

 

• Police arrangements will commence from 9 a.m.

 

• Maximum staff have been mobilised from all units of Delhi Police.

 

• All senior officers including DCPs and Joint CPs will be closely supervising the arrangements ensuring incident free day.

  The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will launch new Rs. 500 and Rs. 2,000 currency notes from today. Fearing a jump in footfalls to deposit or withdraw cash following the demonetisation of 500 rupees and 1,000 rupees banknotes, banks will remain open this Saturday and Sunday and its staff will do overtime till 9 p.m. for the next three days to clear the rush. In a tweet, Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das said for public convenience, banks will remain open on coming Saturday and Sunday. Banks also announced a slew of measures, including extension of banking hours, doing away with ATM charges and expanding credit limits to handle the expected huge rush to tender now defunct 500 rupee and 1000 rupee notes. The Reserve Bank also came out with an order instructing all the banks to be open for business on the coming weekend, including Sunday. RBI also said ATMs will remain shut today as well. The nation's largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) has announced an extension in banking hours, till 6 p.m. today. Each of its branches will be having a dedicated 'exchange counter' to change the currency notes.