Chennai: “I got this money from the same counter, last week and today they are saying it’s not valid, what’s happening”, screamed an Englishman at the foreign exchange counter located inside Chennai international airport complex, according to a policeman, who witnessed the heated argument on Wednesday morning.
The foreigner had a Rs 1,000 rupee note, three five hundred and few hundred rupee notes and his Emirates Flight was scheduled at 3.45 am, but when the exchanger returned the currencies as invalid ahead of boarding time, the foreigner started screaming inviting attention at around 1.30 am.
With the situation turning in to a heated debate at other counters also, the airport authorities rushed in with instructions to the money changers insisting them to accept currencies till Friday night, as per the Centre’s direction, the source said.
Similar arguments were also common at baggage counters, when the private airliners refused to accept cash in higher denominations for their extra luggage. Outside the airport, the situation was even worse for passengers as the taxi drivers refused to accept cash in higher denominations.
“Most of the taxi drivers never gave the balance change. The taxi meter read Rs 320, when I gave Rs 500 the driver initially refused to accept, but later walked away without tendering the change,” rued Muthu Mani of Madurai who arrived in Chennai to reach Singapore.
When contacted a senior airport official said, “The issue with the money exchange and the airliners were sorted out with the airport manager passing instructions to accept all kinds of denominations. In case of taxi drivers and touts operating outside the airport, we have requested the local police to intensify the patrol so that the passengers are not affected at the airport,” the official said adding that the number of money exchange counters inside the airport will be soon increased from 7 to 12. The official also requested the passengers not to approach touts.
