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Frustrated at not having any cash, angry bank customers in Hyderabad blocked the Old Mumbai highway connecting Mehdipatnam to Gachibowli on Monday after the SBI branch at Tolichowki claimed to have gone dry.
The Times of India reported that a mob of more than 200 people blocked the road for roughly 15 minutes, until the police stepped in to bring things under control.
“Why can't the bank give prior notice to the customers regarding the cash crunch? I am standing in the queue since morning and after three hours we are informed that we will not be able to withdraw money,” a customer outside the bank told TOI.
This comes 10 days after the exact same incident occurred last Friday, with hundreds blocking the street, as account holders raised an objection when the bank officials refused to give more than Rs 2,000.
People waiting in the queue since early in the morning entered into an argument with bank officials.
As the situation became tense, the bank staff downed the shutters.
Protesting the attitude of bank officials, people began a spontaneous protest by sitting on the road.
The blockade led to long traffic jam on Toli Chowki-Sheikpet road during the peak morning hours.
Hundreds of people going to work were stranded. As the road connects the IT clusters of Hitec City and Gachibowli, a large number of techies were also stranded.
The police had to intervene then too, to clear the road.
People block the road #Tolichowki #Hyderabad once again.Angry after having waited since morning for #SBI to open. #DemonetizationDisaster pic.twitter.com/fcuTx0pIUZ
— Ayesha Minhaz (@ayesha_minhaz) December 19, 2016