Punjab Tourism Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu (File)
Punjab’s Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu has ordered cancellation of advertisement contract of Greenline Advertisers in Ludhiana for which the Municipal Corporation allowed bus queue shelters measuring 500 square feet each.
Addressing the media on Tuesday, Sidhu said the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation not only increased the size of bus queue shelter from usual 176 square feet to 500 square feet but also allowed compensation for setting up bus queue shelters of increased size.
“This was amazing. Where in the world you find such huge shelters? In cities like Mumbai, having huge number of passengers waiting for a bus, the size is not more than 176 square feet. But Ludhiana MC allowed it to go up to 500 square feet for the advertisers to put advertisement banners,” Sidhu said, adding that the company was associated with an Akali leader.
He said after cancelling the contract, global tenders for advertisements would be floated. “Ludhiana MC has made a revenue of Rs 1.88 crore last fiscal from advertisements while a city like Jaipur makes a revenue of Rs 30 crore per year.”