An SBI ATM in the city. Picture by Biju Boro

July 26: After Global Trust Bank, it was the turn of State Bank of India (SBI) customers to get the jitters.

Several SBI customers went panicky after they failed to access their ATM accounts in Dispur, Chenikuthi and Guwahati Refinery.

Some even called up The Telegraph office to enquire whether the RBI has imposed a moratorium on the SBI after the one on the GTB.

The SBI has 19 automatic teller machines in the city.

“I first tried the Dispur ATM this morning but failed. Then I tried the counters at Ganeshguri, AIDC and Gauhati Commerce College. All three failed to work, saying transaction is not possible from my account,” said Anirban Choudhury, a PR executive.

Choudhury said some of his neighbours and friends had similar tales to tell. He said when he asked, an SBI official said there was some “uplinking” problem for which some of the ATMs were not functioning.

However, their fears were soon laid to rest. The SBI’s assistant general manager (ATM), L.C. Medhi, said there was nothing wrong with the teller machines.

“In fact, the SBI has introduced a new swipe system to make the withdrawal even more swift. I think some of the customers were not aware of the new system and they panicked. Everything is in order,” he said.

Medhi, who is looking after the functioning of ATMs, said customers at Dispur, Chenikuthi and Guwahati Refinery may have faced a problem as the new system was installed at these three places only a few days ago. The SBI official, however, said he is ready to hold an inquiry into specific complaints filed by customers.

Several customers have complained that some of the teller machines, especially the one at the Dispur petrol pump near the Gauhati Tea Auction Centre and another near the Gauhati Commerce College, do not function properly.

They said some of the ATMs run short of cash during the late night hours, causing great inconvenience to customers.

A few customers of the Global Trust Bank, who were out of station, found to their dismay that the ATMs were shut when they went to withdraw money today.

The bank has two ATM counters in the city, one at Panbazar and the other inside the Gauhati Tea Auction Centre.