In a move to generate revenue, the Delhi government’s transport department has decided to constitute a three-member expert committee to examine the Delhi Transport Corporation’s (DTC) proposal for full body wrap advertising on its buses. The STA board has decided that the matter needs comprehensive examination of views of both DTC as well as Delhi Traffic Police. Therefore, an expert committee will be formed under the chairman of STA consisting of one expert each from Delhi Integrated Multi-model Transit System, DTC and Traffic Police. The committee has to submit its report on the matter by April 14.
According to DTC officials, currently there is no advertising on these buses, which can be a source of revenue for the corporation, according to the DTC. Delhi Traffic Police has, however, opposed the proposal, flagging concerns about safety of commuters. A meeting of the State Transport Authority (STA) was held last month where the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) put up a proposal for changes in advertising rules to generate revenue. The matter was discussed with all stakeholders and a resolution was passed in this regard.
“It has been clearly evident that there are two point of views in the matter pertaining to display of advertisement on the passenger ‘vehicles specially the DTC Buses, one has been placed by the Delhi Traffic Police taking into consideration of the safety of the motorist plying on the road which is primarily based on the public interest, the other is the point of ‘view of the DTC to facilitate to generate the revenue. Therefore, it is proposed the STA Board may consider both the points and adopt resolution accordingly,” according to the minutes of the meeting held.
“The STA Board resolved that thematter needs comprehensive examination as view of DTC as well as Delhi Traffic Police are contradictory to each other,’ it said.
At the STA meeting, the DTC informed that that for the said purpose they have permission from the MCD under the MCD Outdoor Advertisement Policy. DTC’s proposal further said that all other State Transport Undertakings (STUs) in the country, specifically the BEST operated in Mumbai and others are adopting the same process and generating a good amount of non-traffic revenue.
The DTC which is facing problems in generating revenue, had proposed in 2016 that in low floor buses, except window glasses and rear wind glass panel, advertisements can be displayed on rear side, left side and right side of the vehicle. The Comptroller and Auditor
General (CAG) in its latest report which tabled in the Delhi Assembly revealed that the public transporter’s liabilities bumped up from `28,263 crore in 2015-16 to `65,274 crore in 2021-22, during which it incurred total operational losses of `14,198.86 crore.
The audit report on the DTC stated that from 2015 to 2023, the public transporter’s fleet strength reduced from 4,344 to 3,937.
Subsequently, the Delhi Traffic Police had in a letter pointed out that “affixation of advertisements on the right side of any public service vehicle is a source of distraction for motorists which may lead to road accidents”, according to the meeting minutes.
An initial approval was withdrawn in 2017 and it was decided that advertising would be allowed, but it would not cover more than 75 per cent of the bus space.
