Dedicated spaces will be earmarked on Kochi metro pillars, medians and portals to place advertisements in the Aluva-Maharaja’s College Ground corridor, to rake in revenue for the metro’s operation and maintenance.
The Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) has invited tenders from agencies interested in leasing out specified advertisement spaces on these structures, as part of its plans to raise revenue from non-ticketing sources. The agency that will be short-listed in about three months will, in turn, retail the space to firms interested in placing their advertisements on framed boards of specified size.
Portals are structures at half a dozen places on the metro viaduct that run across the width of the road beneath, where trains can change track. The metro agency has fixed norms for placing advertisements, including the material that must be used. All designs need the agency’s approval before they are placed within framed boards. No advertisement can be painted on metro pillars.
On trains
The other alternative revenue-generating modes for metro’s operation and maintenance include advertisements on the interior and exterior of trains and in metro stations. The KMRL is in the process of short-listing banks interested in setting up ATMs in metro stations. “Representatives of 15 banks attended a pre-bid meeting held in this regard,” said sources in the agency.
The tendering process is under way for station-naming rights as well. In this, the name of a firm or institution can be suffixed with that of the metro station’s location. Yet another revenue-generating mode that is being tendered is station interconnection, wherein establishments in the vicinity of metro stations will be linked with the station.
Vertical gardens
Besides advertisements, vertical gardens will also adorn space on metro pillars. Every sixth pillar will be covered with a vertical garden, to enliven the corridor.
The space within the median beneath the metro viaduct will be landscaped using ornamental plants which do not need much watering. The firm which comes up with the most aesthetic design will be selected.
