No highway tolls, banks open on weekend

MUMBAI/DELHI: The government on Wednesday suspended road toll across the country for two days and asked banks to work this weekend as millions of people grappled to adjust to a life without the `500 and `1,000 banknote.

The Reserve Bank of India said ATMs will start dispensing `50 and `100 notes from Thursday. Banks have also been asked not to charge any fee for ATM transactions till December 30.

“There will be logistic issues in returning change for `500 and `1,000 notes. Therefore, we have decided to suspend toll collection,” Union highways minister Nitin Gadkari said.

With about 86% of the total currency going out of circulation, the government sought to assuage the people, saying banks and post offices will give out replacement currencies from Thursday.

But panic-stricken people rushed to railway stations and petrol pumps to use up the `500 and `1,000 notes, spending more than `1 lakh for train tickets.

RailwayministerSureshPrabhu said people were lining up with `1,000 notes to purchase platform tickets of `10 each.

Delhi Metro sparked anger earlier in the day, putting up notices saying it will not accept `500 and `1,000 notes but later reversed the decision. It said the notes of the two denominations will continue to be legal tender till Friday midnight.