DMRC told to pull ads from metro pillars, footbridges

GURUGRAM: MCG has asked Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) not to use metro properties in the city, like stations, pillars, foot overbridges and others, to put up advertisements. In a notice issued to DMRC, the MCG joint commissioner (IV) has directed the metro corporation to comply with provisions of Haryana Municipal Corporation Advertisement Bylaws 2016 and a later amendment.
The notice also lists 16 outdoor media devices (OMDs) on various DMRC metro stations in Gurugram, including stations at Huda City Centre, Iffco Chowk, MG Road, Sikanderpur and Guru Dronacharya.

The new advertising bylaws prohibit advertisements on Metro pillars and the road median, and stipulate that no advertising can be displayed at stations, foot overbridges and other properties that face the direction of traffic on roads.

In its report ‘Rapid Metro warns ad curbs will kill expansion plans’ published on March 15, TOI had mentioned the recently formulated advertising bylaws have raised the hackles of both Rapid Metro and DMRC authorities, who have expressed fear they might have to shelve their expansion plans in Gurugram and elsewhere in the state as a result.

In it’s notice, MCG has said in future, locations of OMD will have to be identified with MCG approval. The only OMD permitted shall follow specifications stated in the bylaws, and will have to get audited by a third party road safety consultant who is not involved in the business of display advertisement. MCG directed DMRC to comply with the provisions and its orders within a week, and threatened to take action under the Haryana Municipal Corporation Act 1994 otherwise.

Earlier, in a letter to the MCG commissioner, Rapid Metro Rail Gurugram Limited (RMGL) director Rajiv Banga had warned that these advertising bylaws sound the death knell for existing metro services and upcoming projects in the state.

“Local bodies are promoting metro services all over the country, but for reasons best known to the Haryana ULB department, it has formulated advertising bylaws that will sound the death knell to metro services in the state. This will also affect upcoming MRTS (mass rapid transit system) and metro networks planned by HSIIDC/MCG. Nowhere in India barring Haryana is there a prohibition on advertisements on metro pillars/median. The world over, metro services compensate low fares with non-fare revenue,” reads the letter dated March 12.

Sources said DMRC, whose Yellow Line has five stations within Gurugram, had filed objections to the new bylaws, but with ULB officials did not share any details. In particular, Rapid Metro will be affected, because its ridership figures have so far been below expectations.

The network sees an average footfall of 40,000 daily, and earns more from advertising than from ticket sales.