Kulgam, 21 June: While two bank branches- one of JK Bank and the other of Punjab National Bank- have been functioning in the area, to the misery of the locals none has bothered to install Automated Teller Machine (ATM) in Frisal town of South Kashmir’s Kulgam District causing serious inconvenience to the public here.
Speaking to Kashmir Images, locals narrated that while two banks located in the town having been doing brisk business, the authorities haven’t bothered to install cash dispensing machines here. “Most of the businessmen and shopkeepers here who rely mostly on ATM machines face problems during bank holidays and strikes,” said a shopkeepers of the town.
Appealing the authorities of both the banks to immediately install cash dispensing machines for the convenience of the masses here, the locals further said that in the absence of ATM’s they were marginalized to banking with the branches and Khidmat centre alone. “There is no other alternative for cash withdrawal in this area except banks and Khidmat centre,” Mohd Yousuf, a resident of the area said adding that “people are compelled to travel to other areas for cash withdrawal.”
Claiming that frequent requests made for installing ATM by the locals had gone unanswered, the locals further said that while there used to be an ATM of Punjab National Bank, two years ago, the machine however was removed by the police after incidents of ATM looting had surfaced.
Talking to Kashmir Images, the Business Correspondent of Punjab National Bank, Frisal, Parviaz Bhat said, “The ATM that was removed from the area is in police custody. However we have requested for new machine to be installed very soon.”
The Branch Head of Jammu and Kashmir Bank, Frisal, Bashir Ahmad said that while the bank was desirous of installing ATM in the area but due to previous incident of ATM loot, it has been delayed.
