NCRTC offers semi-naming and co-branding rights on Delhi-Meerut Namo Bharat network

NCRTC offers naming and co-branding rights for 21 stations on the Delhi-Meerut corridor to generate non-fare revenue, enhancing brand visibility.

New Delhi

The RRTS train in operation. (HT Archive)

The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) will offer semi-naming and co-branding rights for 21 stations on the Delhi-Meerut Namo Bharat corridor, including the three stations in Delhi, in a bid to bring in non-fare revenue from the transit system, as per documents accessed by HT.

According to a bid document issued by the corporation on April 30, bidders can add suffixes or prefixes to station names. The bids are open for the Sarai Kale Khan, New Ashok Nagar and Anand Vihar stations in Delhi, besides those in Ghaziabad and Meerut of Uttar Pradesh. The document, a copy of which was accessed by HT, said that bidders can apply for one station or more.

An NCRTC official, who did not wish to be named, said, “Selected partners will have the opportunity to prefix or suffix their brand names to station names, creating a long-term association with the station identity. Branding may be extended across station interiors, concourse and platform levels, as well as key exterior elements, including entry and exit areas and piers on both sides of the station. This ensures high-visibility exposure to both commuters and road traffic.”

NCRTC will also use the suffixed or prefixed names during announcements, and display the brand logos prominently on station maps, along with dedicated space for kiosk enabling experiential marketing and deeper brand interaction. For instance, a bank can market all its schemes or an educational institution can set up admission councilling related kiosk.

The other stations on the corridor are at Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Duhai, Muradnagar, Modinagar South, Modinagar North, Meerut South, Partapur, Rithani, Shatabdi Nagar, Brahmapuri, Meerut Central, Bhaisali, Begumpul, MES Colony, Daurli, Meerut North and Modipuram. Of the 21 stations, Anand Vihar, Meerut Central, Bhaisali and Begumpul are underground stations, while the remaining are elevated.

Among the Delhi stations, Sarai Kale Khan has the highest bid security requirement, at ₹9.8 lakh, followed by Anand Vihar at ₹8.6 lakh and New Ashok Nagar at ₹6.1 lakh. Outside Delhi, Ghaziabad station carries a bid security amount of ₹7.4 lakh, while stations at Shatabdi Nagar and Begumpul require ₹5.8 lakh each.

The document states that the branding rights are part of NCRTC’s efforts to commercially utilise station assets along the Delhi-Meerut corridor, which is India’s first semi-high-speed regional rail system. Since the operations began on the corridor in October 2023, it has completed about 30 million commuter trips. The The 82-kilometre RRTS from Delhi to Meerut comprises 16 RRTS stations and 13 stations of Meerut Metro on the same line.