Movies on Mumbai-Goa Tejas Express no longer ad-free, rly will earn ₹18 lakh a year through ads

Mumbai city news: Earlier, movies, programmes and documentaries on the train’s infotainment screens were ad-free

Rs18 lakh in one year — that’s how much the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) plans to earn solely through advertisement revenue generated from the high-speed Tejas Express.

A contractor, who will be hired for three months, will also be allowed to charge passengers Rs30 for a pair of earphones. (HT File Photo)

The IRCTC plans to hire a contractor, who will make arrangements to stream free movies, documentaries, programmes and songs on the train’s display screens. Earlier, these were ad-free. However, this is set to change.

“The licencee will be permitted to display advertisements,” reads a tender document accessed by HT.

The contractor, who will be hired for three months, will also be allowed to charge passengers Rs30 for a pair of earphones.

IRCTC, an undertaking of Indian Railways, aims to earn an annual revenue of Rs18 lakh from this service.

Designed and manufactured by the Kapurthala-based rail coach factory, the Tejas Express has several unique features such as automatic doors, infotainment screens for each passenger and tea-coffee machines, which have contributed to its popularity among commuters.

Since railway minister Suresh Prabhu flagged off the Mumbai-Karmali train on May 21, it has been fully booked on each trip.

Despite its comparatively higher fares — Rs1,200 for a chair car and Rs2,600 for an executive car — commuters opt for it over other premium trains such as the Rajdhani and Shatabdi expresses.

An IRCTC spokesperson confirmed that a contractor would be appointed, but added that the contract had not yet been finalised.