Corporate giants could get the right to name Namma Metro stations if they invest money in building them.
Bengaluru Development minister K.J. George on Thursday said that three companies — Information Technology behemoth Infosys, biotech major Biocon and real estate firm Embassy Group — have come forward to invest and build metro stations in Phase II. “The stations will be named after the company for a period of 30 years and they will get some other benefits,” he said.
Pradeep Singh Kharola, Managing Director, BMRCL, said that the move is part of the innovative financing push by Namma Metro. “The companies that partner with us can choose to invest in metro stations adjoining their premises. They will benefit from direct access to the campus,” he said.
Sources in Namma Metro said that while talks are still in the initial stages, there was an outreach under way to seek funds from other corporates who have campuses along the Phase II alignment under the innovative financing model. “We are also thinking of extending the innovative financing scheme to existing metro stations under Phase I. The business modalities of these MoUs will have to change and they are being thought through now,” a senior BMRCL official said.
