No ATM refill in cities after 9 pm

Mukesh Ranjan

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 14

No automated teller machine (ATM) will be refilled with cash after 9 pm in cities, 6 pm in rural areas and 4 pm in Naxal-hit areas, as the government today finalised a set of “model rules” under Private Security Agencies Regulation Act, 2005 to regulate operation of cash vans by agencies hired by banks and other financial institutions.

The move is seen as measures to contain recent spike in the incidents of attack on cash vans, particularly after the government’s decision on demonetisation.

“As about 8,000 cash vans are currently doing the job of loading currency notes worth Rs 15,000 crore on a daily basis, several cases of attack and heist have been reported in recent times. Keeping this in mind, Home Minister Rajnath Singh today held a high-level review meeting in which model rules for operating cash vans and ATMs have been finalised,” said a senior Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) official.

According to the rules finalised today, the official said, the states have been advised to enforce agencies and banks dealing with cash to carry money in specially designed vans, which should be fitted with CCTVs and GPS, and for each trip the vehicle should not carry more than Rs 5 crore. “Two armed guards and a driver in each van must be trained to disengage with the situation and drive vehicle to safety in case of an attack,” he said.

It is, however, learnt that after finalising the “model rules” the MHA has sent the proposal to the Ministry of Law and Justice for its formal vetting, as it required a few “law points” to be clarified before they are being sent to states for implementation.

The government has proposed that for replenishment in ATMs, cash transportation agencies must collect cash from the bank in the first half of the day and cash loading of the ATMs or cash movement should be done before 9 pm in urban centers and 6 pm in rural areas across the country, the official said, adding in case of Naxal-affected districts the exercise should be completed before 4 pm.

The “model rules” also stipulate mandatory training of operational staff members, who carry cash and replenish ATMs after their antecedent checks have been done.

State controlling authorities for Private Security Agencies Regulation Act, 2005, have been advised to enforce the above guidelines on all cash van agencies and review compliance from time to time.