With the festival season arriving, the Railways has decided to offer prime spaces in its stations for decoration-cum-advertisement by which the spirit of festivals is ushered in even as it stands to gain some income.
It is being taken up as a pilot during the oncoming Onam festival season, said Senior Divisional Commercial Manager of Palakkad Division Jerin Anand. The idea is to usher in the festival spirit by making stations look beautiful. Railways also would get some income through this initiative, Mr. Anand said and added that depending upon the response this time, the Railways would decide about extending the facility for other festivals too.
As per the proposal, the exhibition of festive decorations/display would be for a period of 10 days, covering festival seasons.
Interested parties may opt for three types of decorations — fancy umbrellas, balloons or balls and decorative illumination — in prime spaces of stations, such as passenger concourse, without disturbing passenger movement.
The Railways has categorised stations depending upon the footfalls with a 100 sq ft space at Kannur Station being offered at ₹ 10,000 per day, followed by Mangaluru Central, Mangaluru Junction and other similar stations at ₹ 5,000 per day and less popular stations at ₹ 3,000 per day under Palakkad Division.
Of the 100 sft space provided for decoration, 30 sq ft may be used for advertisement and the advertiser may keep a board extending greeting for the particular festival in association with the Railways. All decorations should be makeshift arrangements.
Though the Railways would not guarantee any security for the material installed on its premises, it would take every reasonable care to ensure that no damage is caused to them. If the advertiser requires any additional space over the standard 100 sq ft space, the Railways may provide the space on pro-rata basis.
For fancy umbrella decoration, the advertiser may put up a maximum 10 umbrellas with 3 sq ft advertisement area for each umbrella; for balloons/ balls, 30 sq ft advertisement area would be provided and under illumination decoration, the advertiser may illuminate the station building with colour lights and decoration and get 30 sq ft advertisement area.
Onam advertisement starts from August 15 to August 28.