Why most ATMs in Noida are Always Threatened Machines

NOIDA: Over 4,000 ATM kiosks across Gautam Budh Nagar district are not manned by guards but unarmed “caretakers” of private agencies who are left to the mercy of just a stick to deal with robbery attempts or any other mischief.

Officials of the private agency that was responsible for maintaining the SBI ATM from where Rs 40 lakh was robbed on Tuesday said their caretakers are only trained to keep the kiosks clean and lock and unlock the gates. When the two men barged into the ATM kiosk on Tuesday and fired a few shots, the two armed guards with the cash van and the one manning the ATM ran for cover.

The situation is not much different for the 4,500 ATMs in the district. With banks cutting down on expenditure on security, these ATMs have been reduced to vulnerable targets of assailants.

Sohrab Khan, field officer of Tiger 4 security agency, said their guard was not at fault when he chose to flee from the spot in the wake of the firing. “Our guard is not exactly a guard but a caretaker. He has been hired for basic functioning of an ATM kiosk, such as its maintenance, upkeep, cleanliness and locking/unlocking. He is not trained to counter any armed assailant,” he said. Sohrab, whose agency is looking after 44 ATMs in Noida, said armed guards are usually restricted to accompanying the cash van responsible for feeding ATMs.

“A cash van usually has five people, including two gunners, two custodians and a driver,” he said.

On November 21, TOI had reported that in a sudden inspection by Noida police, as many as 300 ATMs were found to be functioning without guards. The then SSP, Ajay Pal Sharma, had raised concern that banks had been refraining from deploying armed guards and cutting corners. Apart from guards, the police had also found many of the ATMs lacking proper CCTV cameras.

In the aftermath of the 2015 Syndicate Bank robbery in Dankaur and a robbery attempt at a PNB branch in Sector 1, which resulted in the death of two private guards, the police had made a few suggestions to intensify security. The cops had suggested that at least one armed guard be deployed at off-site locations, CCTV cameras be placed properly and police helpline numbers be displayed.

The police said most of the banks were not adhering to the suggestions. “Many ATMs are unmanned and most of the guards are not armed. We will write to the banks again,” SSP Vaibhav Krishna said.

Asked if security was being compromised, Captain Shalu Chopra, security in-charge of SBI in Noida, said a meeting was held about two months back.

“At the meeting, the police had suggested there was a requirement of armed guards at the ATMs and bank branches. It is a policy matter and there is a requirement for a change in the policy. ATMs and banks are high-risk zones,” she said