This initiative aims to bolster the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation’s (DMRC) earnings beyond ticket sales while transforming its trains into a premium advertising platform, according to an official statement.
The plan also aims to align the metro with prominent global transit systems and airports in terms of audio advertising, the official added.
To advance this plan, the corporation has issued a tender inviting proposals from agencies to secure, market, and manage audio advertisement slots in six trains on the Red (Line 1), Yellow (Line 2), Blue (Line 3), and Magenta (Line 8) corridors, the official said.
The Yellow Line, one of the oldest and busiest metro corridors in the capital connecting Kashmere Gate and Sultanpur, provides the largest uninterrupted advertising inventory among the four routes, following the Red Line’s total inventory, with 596 seconds of audio slots available in both directions, the official noted.
The Red Line, connecting Dilshad Garden and Rithala, holds the highest total inventory at 721 seconds, while the Blue Line, which runs between Dwarka and Yamuna Bank, has 634 seconds. The Magenta Line, running between Janakpuri West and Botanical Garden, offers 300 seconds, as explained by the official.
He emphasized that advertisements will be broadcast only during silent periods between regular operational announcements, prioritizing passenger information and safety messages.
There will also be sufficient gaps between commercials to ensure commuter convenience.
As per the official, the system will adhere to international standards utilized by major metro networks, where commercial announcements are carefully integrated without disrupting essential travel information. The volume, sound quality, and frequency of the advertisements will be regulated as well.
The DMRC first launched in-train audio advertisements on six trains operating on the Violet Line between Kashmere Gate and Badarpur in December 2023.
This proposed expansion signifies the corporation’s intention to extend this model to several of its busiest corridors, the official further remarked.
In the suggested arrangement, the chosen agency will be tasked with marketing the available inventory, scheduling advertisements between stations, coordinating technical execution with the DMRC, and maintaining financial documentation related to the campaign, he said.
The official noted that the agency will collect advertising revenue from clients and transfer the DMRC’s share, with the metro corporation receiving 85 percent of the total revenue generated through the advertisements, while the remaining portion will stay with the licensee.
The agreement also allocates up to 5 percent of the total advertising inventory in each train for social or corporate social responsibility messages, with the DMRC covering the cost of airing such public-interest campaigns, according to the official.
He urged agencies to devise innovative advertising opportunities within metro trains, ensuring that their campaigns reflect and enhance Delhi’s image, showcasing its heritage and cultural identity.
The DMRC has reiterated that commuter convenience will be prioritized and that service announcements will always take precedence over commercial messages.
Advertisements will be played solely during the gaps between operational announcements, ensuring an uninterrupted flow of passenger information, the official concluded.
