Ganderbal:The Jammu and Kashmir Bank ATM installed at Kullan Gund Kangan in Ganderbal district has remained out of service for the past three days, causing inconvenience to locals, particularly traders, government employees, and regular account holders.
Locals complained that the shutdown has forced them to travel long distances to nearby Gund or Kangan towns to withdraw cash. The affected population includes daily wage earners, shopkeepers, and salaried employees who rely heavily on this facility for their routine financial needs.
Ali Muhammad, a local resident, expressed his frustration over the issue. “The ATM has been closed for three consecutive days. Customers are left with no option but to travel to Gund or Kangan, which is both time-consuming and costly. We request the bank authorities to keep this ATM functional round the clock to save us from repeated inconvenience,” he said.
Traders also voiced concern, saying that the cash crunch has disrupted their daily business transactions. Several shopkeepers noted that with growing reliance on cash for local trade, the absence of a functioning ATM has created a bottleneck in their routine dealings.
Government employees residing in the area echoed similar concerns, pointing out that salary withdrawals and urgent cash requirements have been affected. Many complained that despite being customers of Jammu and Kashmir Bank, they were being forced to spend extra money and time to access their own funds.
Locals urged the higher authorities of Jammu and Kashmir Bank to ensure that the ATM in Kullan Gund operates on a 24×7 basis. They stressed that the bank should strengthen its monitoring system to avoid repeated breakdowns, which cause distress to the public. [KNT]