Outstation students panic as many can’t pay for bus fares, food

NEW DELHI: Students living away from their families were a hassled lot after the PM’s address to the nation as many of them did not have enough cash in hand for the next two days.

Most students said that they usually withdraw a chunk of money once a week and keep it to buy groceries, food and dairy products.

“I withdrew ₹15,000 from my ATM just a few hours before the announcement as I had to pay rent and to the maid and the milkman. Now, I don’t know what to do with the money. I am walking around with cash, which I cannot use. Only ₹160 in my wallet is usable. What will I do for the next two days? I do not even have money to buy water to drink,” said Sneha Sharma, a college student. She said many of her friends called up their homes asking them for cash through money transfer facility.

Sneha said she went to the grocery store next to her house to buy groceries on credit but was turned away.

Another student said she did not even have ₹20 to pay for her bus ticket. So she had to skip college on Wednesday. “I only have ₹15 in hand. I could not go to college today as even my friends refused to lend money. Most vendors still don’t accept payments through e-wallets. How are we supposed to function for the next two days?,” said Yogita Mishra, another student.

As the situation is unlikely to improve on Thursday with ATMs still shut, students have made plans to stay at home. Aditi Sinha, a class XII student who lives in a PG, said, “I will not go to school and have asked a friend to bring food from her home.”