The Kolkata metro, India’s first underground mass rapid transit system which started operations in 1984, has invited private firms for showcasing their advertisements at stations as part of its efforts to mobilise resources and garner revenues.
“We have decided to offer branding of 24-odd metro stations stretching from north to south of the city limits to raise additional funds,” Metro Rail Kolkata general manger M. C. Chauhan told reporters on the sidelines of a CII event on Thursday.
Under the initiative, private companies would be given total advertisement rights at all metro stations following which they would be able to undertake various branding exercises.
Mr. Chauhan said that Metro Railway at the moment was incurring huge losses. “If we want to earn Rs.100, then we will have to spend Rs.260. Our plan is to reduce the losses,” he said.
“We will shortly invite expression of interests from corporate bodies by way of floating tenders. This is at various stages of approvals now,” Mr. Chauhan added.
On new rakes, he said that by September 2018, Chinese firm Dalian would provide 14 AC rakes, besides several others rakes are being manufactured by Integral Coach factory (ICF) in Tamil Nadu.
The Metro Railway also has plans to commercially exploit the real estate available with it at various places, he said.
