As Rs 2000 notes reappear in market after a long lull, ‘Conditions Apply’ say business owners

Citizens who had stored the notes are bringing them out hoping to use them for shopping and avoid the hassle and scrutiny of depositing them in the banks but, in many cases, this is turning out to be more difficult than anticipated.

Fuel stations, liquor shops, restaurants, and bars are seeing increased usage of the pink notes by customers. While some establishments are accepting the notes without any fuss, others are citing a lack of change or are accepting them on the condition that the bill should be Rs 2,000 or close to it.

At Sai Petrol Pump on Jangli Maharaj Road, The Indian Express witnessed an altercation that started after a customer tried to pay for fuel with a Rs 2000 note.

“They are telling me that they will accept the note only if I buy fuel worth Rs 2,000. He is asking me to see the manager,” said the customer. The manager, on his part, showed a company notice on his cell phone mentioning that the Rs 2000 note will be accepted only for payment of the full amount and change will not be rendered. The customer finally agreed to buy petrol worth Rs 2,000 and got rid of the pink note.

Fuel stations, liquor shops, restaurants, and bars are seeing increased usage of the pink notes by customers. (Express Photo by Arul Horizon)

Liquor shops are also seeing an increased tendency among customers to pull out the pink note.

“Earlier, we used to get 2-3 notes per day at our liquor shop. On the day the announcement was made, we received 26 notes. Since then, we are getting about 20 notes a day. We are not turning away anyone as the note is a legal tender and if we have the change then there is no reason we should turn them away,” said Ajay Deshmukh of Pune Wine Merchants’ Association.

At restaurants and bars, too, the cashiers are getting to handle the unusually long note, which when introduced in 2016, required a re-calibration of automated teller machines (ATMs) to dispense them.

“The problem that we face when a customer brings out a Rs 2000 note is that we rarely have the change… Most of the payment that happens these days is through cards, UPI apps, or wallets. We politely convey to them our situation and customers often acquiesce in paying with other means,” said Prakash Thakur, manager of One Peg Down in Wakad.

Also Read

Youth shot dead in Pimpri Chinchwad’s Chikhali, probe on

Hidden stories: How a humble eatery serving up South Indian food became a...

15 EV charging stations operational, more to be set up in Pune, Pimpri Ch...

One dead, three injured as bus sliding back hits six vehicles

Some city jewellers have taken a cautious stand and are asking customers who want to use Rs 2000 banknotes for a transaction to sign an indemnity form stating that if any dispute arises in the future, then the customers will be responsible for the same.