Namma Metro coaches to be wrapped with advertisements

BMRCL officials said the advertisements will not obstruct the view through the windows.
| Photo Credit: k BHAGYA PRAKASH

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For the first time, advertisements will be displayed on Namma Metro trains as the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has issued its first tender for this initiative, marking a new approach to generating non-fare revenue.

BMRCL officials confirmed that trains on the Green and Purple lines will soon be wrapped with advertisements. They said the view through the windows would not be obstructed. “They will be applied in a manner that preserves the aesthetic appeal of the trains. This is the first time we are making such a venture. Since our inception in 2011, we are the only metro system in India that hasn’t displayed advertisements on its trains,” said a BMRCL official.

The BMRCL operates 57 six-coach train sets across the two lines.

Focus on non-fare revenue

The primary objective is to boost non-fare revenue. Metro systems across India have already adopted this strategy, with Delhi, Hyderabad, and Kochi wrapping trains with advertisements for several years. Delhi Metro started this practice in 2014.

Now, one train has been similarly wrapped, but not for commercial purposes. In March 2022, BMRCL covered a train with imagery and slogans commemorating India’s freedom struggle as part of the “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav” programme. It cost approximately ₹8.5 lakh and took 10 days to complete.

BMRCL officials said advertising inside trains and stations has been an ongoing effort to generate non-fare revenue. However, in August 2018, BMRCL suffered a setback when the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) banned outdoor advertisements, including those on metro pillars and the medians beneath viaducts, following a High Court order. Prior to this ban, BMRCL earned about ₹10 crore annually from such advertisements.

Other non-fare initiatives

In 2023, BMRCL resumed granting permission for filming on station premises and inside metro coaches. It also continues to lease space for retail outlets, ATMs, and parking at metro stations. Other initiatives include the establishment of promotional kiosks, electric vehicle charging stations, and leasing space for telecom towers and optical fibre cables.

In 2017, it leased 13 acres of its property near Nagasandra metro station to IKEA India Pvt. Ltd. under a 60-year agreement. This deal brought in ₹251 crore.

Aesthetic concerns

The move to have adverts on trains has sparked mixed reactions from commuters.

Maya Chandrasekhar said, “I understand that BMRCL needs to raise funds, but I hope these advertisements don’t make the trains look garish.” Nithin Kumar said, “We’re already bombarded with ads everywhere — on buses, hoardings, and even our phones. They should not turn the trains into moving billboards.”

Mahesh Prabhu said that advertisements must be tastefully done and shouldn’t obstruct the view through the windows. “If the revenue can help keep fares low and improve services, I’m all for it.”