Green ATMs and Brown ATMs

People standing in line to withdraw their cash from ATM (Source: E-pao.net)

I was on a trip to my native place recently. And on that fateful day, I needed to withdraw some cash from ATM. And I needed it desperately for some urgent needs. But I never knew it would be so ho-hum task just to withdraw your money from a machine called ATM. Technology may be advanced and already borne fruits elsewhere but in Manipur, it is just the opposite.

Around 7 o’clock in the morning that day, I, with my younger brother, drove out from my house to withdraw some cash from nearby ATM. And Canchipur (Imphal) SBI ATM came to mind first. So we drove towards Canchipur SBI ATM. By the time we reached Manipur University Gate, three commando personnel were already there guarding the ‘fortress’. Few years ago when I visited there then, I hardly saw commandos there at MU gate. But maybe due to the unfotunate incidents that happened in the not too long ago past, now Manipur University has become a 'fortress' now. Just as we were about to enter the MU gate, one commando personnel rushed towards us and enquired about our visit with a growling voice from his throat, as if we were deaf. And I told him politely that we were coming to fetch some cash from the SBI ATM inside the campus. But in return, in a hoarse and grumbling voice, without any provocation, he said that there was no cash at that time and you could come at 11 o’clock. It was almost deafening. It might have been much better if he said it politely, and I guess, in doing so, he could have saved more calories during that 10 second long speech.

Without a doubt, our first destination bore not fruit. I told my brother that we should go straight to Secretariat SBI, Imphal. By the time we reached Secretariat SBI, some thirty people were already there standing in line and one of them said to us that we could only check balances but not withdraw cash. Because money was not there in the ‘automated terror machine’. Elsewhere this machine is called Automated Teller Machine. But once it reaches Manipur, it becomes ‘Automated Terror Machine’.

Our second destination too proved futile. Then we drove towards SBI Thangal Bazar, the main MG Avenue SBI office in Manipur. And I was stunned to see some 200 people standing in queque outside the ATM from a distance. By the time we reached the ATM, the only words I could utter was, ‘Oh, my gosh!’ and no further words came out. We all need cash desperately at some point and we do anything to acquire it. But in this, it’s nobody’s money; it’s your money after all. People don’t mind standing in queue the whole day if they see a ray of hope that they would get cash at the end of the day. No matter what.

Our third destination also failed. I won’t think it twice if I was going to stand in queque for five-six hours just to withdraw my money from a machine called ATM. We then proceeded towards AXIS Bank, also in Thangal Bazar, Imphal. We were delighted to see a few people standing in line just outside the AXIS ATM. And the security guard inside the ATM assured us that money would be coming at 11 o’clock. So we joined the line that was already there.

Now it’s already 10:00 am. My brother and I exchanged line from time to time. And the scorching sunbeam was overhead and was showering abundantly, heavily heated airwaves over our head. And I was sweating profusely. Poor people us! That day, the sun was ungenial, the ATM was unmerciful.

Standing in the sun outside the ATM was an awkward and tiresome. In such situation, just to spend the time, gossip was the only way to keep the spirit high. There was a middle-aged man, maybe in the early 50s or so, among the queue liners. He was talking to someone who was already there with him before we joined them. “ATMs in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and other cities elsewhere in India have ‘green’ ATMs”, he said. “You won’t see people there standing in queue like we do here now. There is always availability of cash in the ATM machine, 99.99% of the case, 24x7. In Manipur, it’s just the opposite. Here in Manipur, ATM machines are cash-starved and are always on a ‘hunger strike mode’. These machines here in Manipur are ‘brown’ ATMs”. I was listening to him, too, from a distance.    

The person who was listening to the middle-aged man looked inquisitive, and asked him, “Why do you call those ATMs elsewhere in India Green ATMs and Brown in Manipur?

The man thoughtfully cleared his throat and started slowly with a question to the listener. “Were you passing those traffic signals while coming here? The listener nodded in affirmative. The man continued further, “Did you see the green light there?” The listener said yes and nodded his head in realization.

The man continued like a good teacher, “At traffic point, green light lets you proceed and you’re not supposed to standstill there the moment green light comes. In other words, you are free to flow. Free flow of movement starts. So ATMs elsewhere in India are just like that. These machines are ready to give you cash at any point in time. They are always 'green.' Another thing is that green also symbolizes friendliness. They don’t terrorize you at all. Instead, they instill in you a sense of trust, hope and a sense of worthiness.” Everybody there in the line was nodding their head in agreement, including myself.

He continued, “But here in our once-known little paradise, it’s just the opposite. These machines are not ‘friendly’ at all. Instead, they instill in you a sense of fear, insecurity and hopelessness. Now you are standing in queue, like all of us, not knowing with certainty that you will return home with your cash back. Sometimes you get and most of the time we all return home empty handed. That’s why I call ATMs in Manipur ‘brown’, a node better than being ‘black’.”

After a pause, he added, “After all, you don’t have to blame these machines. It’s the system that manages.”

It was around 11 o’clock now, and to our utter dismay, we were informed by the security guard that money was not coming that day. And in no time, the long queue was disappeared like the mists do in the sunbeam in the early morning. Some people were grumbling, some people disappeared slowly and silently. And I and my brother visited my brother-in-law’s shop in Thangal Bazar nearby for sometime.

And we returned home empty handed, like the rest of the liners.