Noida Metro Rail Corp gets 15 applications for naming stations

NMRC is hoping to cash in on the scheme. Officials said bid winners will also be allotted advertising space in the stations.

The Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) has received 15 applications from corporate houses and other private agencies who want a metro station named after their brand or product. NMRC, which owns the 30km under-construction Noida-Greater Noida Metro link, is hoping to raise funds from this scheme.

The 30km link will take the metro network deeper into Noida and Greater Noida and is expected to be opened by April 2018. NMRC, which owns the Rs5,400-crore project, is set to recruit more operational staff soon. (HT File Photo)

“These 15 applicants include corporate houses, advertisement agencies and MNCs. We had floated an expression of interest (EOI) for this scheme and got a good response. Now, we will invite request for proposal (RFP) from interested individuals and private companies,” Keshav Kumar, executive director of NMRC, said.

The 30km link will take the metro network deeper into Noida and Greater Noida and is expected to be opened by April 2018. NMRC, which owns the Rs5,400-crore project, is set to recruit more operational staff soon.

“We will give an opportunity to interested parties for submitting their proposals. Besides naming a metro station, we will also allot them advertisement rights, on a specified space, in the station. We will allot the advertisement right on the basis of bidding; whosoever submit the highest bid will win the contract. Our objective is to generate the maximum possible revenue from this scheme,” said Kumar.

NMRC is likely to upload the deadline for RFP and other scheme related details on its website soon.

“We are not in a hurry as our target is to start trials on the 30km Noida-Greater Noida Metro link by the end of 2017. Therefore, we will invite RFP once finishing work at the 21 Metro stations is finished. At present, around 95% of the construction work on each station is completed,” said Kumar.

NMRC is yet to estimate the revenue it will generate from this scheme. “We cannot calculate it exactly because it depends on bidding. We will allot the advertisement rights and name a station after the applicant who will pay us the highest,” said Kumar.