Old currency can now be used at govt outlets for three more days

attempts on Friday to get petrol but had to return seeing the long queues. “Now, I don’t even have so much petrol left in my tank that I can go till the pump,” she said.

Like Vaishnavi, people made a beeline at petrol pumps, metro stations, milk booths and other public utilities authorised by the government to accept old notes.

The extension means government hospitals, ticketing counters at railway, public transport, milk booths, crematoriums/burial grounds, petrol pumps and gas stations will accept the old notes for three more days.

“DMRC will also follow the government guidelines and extended the deadline till the midnight of 14th November for acceptance of old high denomination currency notes,” said metro spokesperson.

DMRC registered more than 100% increase in ₹500 and ₹ 1,000 transactions and 60 % decrease in ₹ 200 transactions on Friday, said an official.

A petrol pump manager in Saket said sales had gone up by more than five times. “Since 8.30pm, our pump began receiving car drivers who were paying us notes in ₹500 and ₹1,000 denominations.”

A Mother Dairy outlet in Dwarka was issuing handwritten receipts signed by the owner, assuring payment of the balance amount later. Reshma Khan, 16, a student said, “What will I do with vegetables worth ₹500. It will get stale so I requested my neighbours to come along so that we can buy vegetables.”

But the municipal corporations’ announcement on Friday to pay property tax and conversion charges with old notes received lukewarm response.

The public utilities were kept out of the purview of the banknote plan to ensure that citizens do not face problems till such time that enough new bills are introduced and come under circulation.