Eyes display adverts on transportation to fill the coffers

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is looking at newer avenues for cheap advertisement space to generate revenue in these economically tough times. As per a new plan, autorickshaws, taxis, radio-taxis, Blueline and school buses will have authorised space on their body to advertise.

Here’s the plan: while vehicle owners are expected to source the advertisers, they would give the civic body a fixed monthly fee per vehicle carrying adverts.

The plan, say officials, is expected bring relief for advertisers who find it hard to cough up the steep rates usually charged for advertisement hoardings, as well as rake in revenue for the MCD’s coffers. The Corporation hopes to generate annual revenue of Rs 101 crore through this policy.

Based on the guidelines of the Supreme Court, the MCD will allow a standard size and a fixed space on vehicles to display advertisements. According to MCD officials, around 73,000 vehicles have been registered with the Corporation so far.

“The MCD will collect a fixed amount from these vehicles on monthly basis,” an official says. “The vehicle owners will have to make collective payments for three months at a time — getting an advertiser for the vehicle will be the vehicle owner’s responsibility. To keep a check, the vehicles will have a barcode with all details. Bar-coding will ensure transparency, and that only vehicles registered with the civic body carry advertisements.”

As a first step, 28 auto-rickshaw and taxi unions have come together and formed a joint council of auto-rickshaw, taxis, Blueline buses and radio-taxi operating in Delhi.

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