So I misplaced my ATM card. I searched for it everywhere. Drawers, bags, and then in desperation between pages of books and finally, the fridge. No doubt it will resurface some day but for the time being it is misplaced or lost. To be on safe side, I blocked the card and then today made my way to the State Bank of India in the 40oC heat to get a new ATM card.
Thus, began the saga.
There are multiple forms for applying for anything. I picked one of the forms and filled it up. The person at the counter told that it was a wrong form. I have to fill a form that has blocks. I went back and searched for the form with blocks. I filled it up. Then as appa has been badgering me for a long time, I also filled up the form for the internet banking. (I have the perfect excuse- I never remember the userid and password but appa refuses to accept it as valid argument).
I took it back to the counter. The person took the forms. He gave back the internet banking form. Another person deals with it. Not him. He will do the ATM form. Then he looked up my relevant details in the computer. He looked up puzzled.
"Your address is showing as C.P. Ramaswamy Road, Chennai."
"But my account is here."
"Madam, you have to get your internet banking approved. Then change your address using the internet banking. Then only your ATM card can be processed."
So I took the internet banking form to the relevant person.
He asked for my mobile number. I gave it to him.
"Ah," he said, "You mobile number is not registered with the bank. You have to fill up Know Your Customer form, register your mobile number with us, and then only the Internet banking can be activated."
"Where is the Know Your Customer form?"
It turns out that there are two forms that I have to fill. Form A and Form B. I also need a photo (it is there in one of the drawers at home) and a copy of my PAN card and my Aadhaar card.
It was at this point I gave up. I got the forms and now I have to fill them up. I have to get a copy of the PAN and Aadhaar card (why do we need two cards for identification?), give everything to the bank, get the mobile number registered, get internet account, change my address, and then get a new ATM .
Whew!
As I was mulling on the process, it finally dawned on me as to why my address is shown as C.P. Ramaswamy Road, Chennai.
When the parents purchased a flat in Chennai to settle down after retirement, I lived with them for couple of years. At that point, amma and I opened a joint account in the State Bank of Mysore, C. P. Ramaswamy Road Branch. Everything was perfect as long State Bank of Mysore and State Bank of India were two separate entities. Few years back, the two banks were merged into one. As the State Bank of Mysore was the older account, on merging, it became the parent account, and C.P. Ramaswamy Road became the default address. Of course, neither of the banks thought of asking me or informing me. So there it is. A perfect mess.
