Paradip: The majority of ATMs have gone dry, triggering a crisis-like situation in both urban and rural areas across the Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur districts, reminding one of the harrowing days of post-demonetisation.

"No-cash" written on paper boards and stuck on the kiosks or the machines greets card holders in these two districts.

Over 400 ATMs are in operation in these parts of the state. However, the majority of them have run out of cash. The harassed customers making rounds of a few ATMs to withdraw money has become a common sight since past one week.

On an average, Rs 800 crore cash withdrawal is done every month through over 400 ATMs installed in both the coastal districts.

However, the Reserve Bank of India's short supply of currency notes to chest banks has given rise to "cash-drought", according to the bankers.

"We are unable to replenish the ATM kiosks with sufficient cash because of drastic drop in cash flow. The banks are flooded with complaints from customers.

However, we have failed to redress grievances as the chest bank here, which distributes cash to other banks, is not having the required cash at its disposal," said a bank official.

The cash flow of the RBI has thinned down since more than a month. "The banks here used to be handed over cash from the RBI thrice every month. Now, it has come down to once," said an official of a nationalised bank in Paradip.

The horrible days of demonetisation trails back to haunt the customers.

"I made a round of the township and tried my luck at a dozen nationalised banks' ATM kiosks in Jagatsinghpur township," said Jagatsinghpur town resident Radhakant Mishra.

"But, everywhere the ATMs had gone dry. Finally, I could succeed in getting cash from the kiosk of a private bank. I was in need of Rs 10,000. However, I could draw only Rs 4,000 as the kiosk was replenished with Rs 100 currency notes."

"I made the second attempt to draw. But by then, it had gone dry," he said.