Demonetisation fallout: Pune International Marathon postponed

In the wake of Centre's decision to demonetise currency notes of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500, the organisers of the Pune International Marathon (PIM) have postponed the run and has been rescheduled for January 2017.

Earlier, the 31st Pune International Marathon 2016, considered as one of the premier marathons in the country since 1983, was supposed to be organised on December 4. "Thousands of runners, including several athletes from various countries come to Pune to take part in the mega event every year, however, in the wake of demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, there are possibilities that participants and volunteers associated with the event might face hardships and inconvenience," said Abhay Chhajed, Vice President of PIM.

Chhajed, who is also a city Congress president, said the total expense of the event is approximately Rs 1.5 crore and majority of the transactions are done by cheques.

"However, there are miscellaneous and small expenses which can not be done through online or cheque transactions," he added.

Chhajed further said since foreign runners also come in big numbers, they might face inconvenience in getting their money exchanged as there are long queues at the banks and ATMs.

IMAGE: An ATM in Mumbai runs out of cash on Friday, November 11, soon after reopening after a two-day break to rejig its systems and issue new currency denominations

Photograph: Sahil Salvi