Thane Municipal Transport Corporation anticipates substantial revenue over the next five years following the reinstated tender process for bus advertisements, marking the first venture since 2016 

If all goes as per plan, Thane Municipal Transport Corporation (TMT) will witness an estimated income of Rs. 12 crores in the upcoming five years through advertising revenues on 310 buses within its fleet. The reinstated tender process for advertising rights on buses, marking the first occurrence since 2016.

The initiative to restart the tender process was pushed with the guidance of Municipal Commissioner Abhijit Bangar and in accordance with a resolution adopted by the Thane Municipal Transport Committee. The revamped process offers advertising opportunities across various bus types, encompassing 15 AC buses, 110 standard buses, 90 midi buses, and 45 new and old buses affiliated with 'JNURM,' along with 50 leased Tejaswini buses, all for a stipulated five-year period.

Under the new tender guidelines, a fixed tenure of five years has been established for advertisements, with an annual rental rate increment of 5 percent. Additionally, contractors are mandated to remit one month's advance advertising rent by the 5th of each month. Within the competitive tender process, the average rate per bus is estimated at Rs. 5776, set to increment by five percent annually, potentially accruing approximately Rs. 12 crores for TMT within the five-year span.

Earlier advertisement tenders were solicited for the periods 2010-2013 and 2013-2016. However, after the 2016 solicitation, subsequent tenders extended until 2021, omitting around 250 newly inducted buses between 2016 and 2023. The latest tender process now encompasses advertisements on a total of 310 buses, excluding electric buses whose advertising rights remain with respective contractors.

A series of ten tender issuances between 2016 and 2023 bore no response, stalling the advertising process until 2021-2023. Consequently, necessary amendments to the competitive tender's terms and conditions were executed, aligning with prevailing transport service rates. These adjustments garnered a positive response from tenderers, paving the way for an anticipated revenue of approximately Rs. 12 crores over the next five years from advertising, compared to the previous annual advertisement income range of Rs. 40 to 50 lakhs amidst the pandemic-induced limitations on buses.