Advertisements to return on Namma Metro pillars; BMRCL projects ₹80-crore boost in revenue

After nearly seven years, advertisements will soon reappear on Namma Metro pillars across Bengaluru. The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has floated tenders inviting firms to display ads on selected piers and portals of both operational and upcoming corridors.

The initiative follows the notification of advertisement bye-laws under the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, 2024, which grants BMRCL independent rights to monetize its infrastructure. The new regulations, issued in July 2025, exclude metro-owned properties from the Greater Bengaluru Authority’s designated advertisement zones, allowing the corporation to exploit its assets for commercial use.

Also read: BMRCL eyes 25% boost in non-fare revenue through ads, land use, and partnerships

Pillar advertising, which was discontinued in 2018 after a citywide ban on hoardings citing visual pollution, had earlier generated about ₹10 crore annually. With the reinstatement of this stream, BMRCL expects non-fare box revenue to increase by an estimated ₹60 crore to ₹80 crore each year. A revenue-sharing clause, however, applies if advertisements are visible from civic-designated spaces.

Tenders extend across Purple, Green, and Yellow lines

The tenders extend across the Purple, Green, and Yellow lines, in addition to the under-construction Pink and Blue lines. This move adds to BMRCL’s growing portfolio of non-fare income strategies, which include coach branding, retail leasing, parking facilities, ATMs, kiosks, telecom infrastructure, and film shoots on premises.

In June 2025, the metro operator also launched full-body train wraps for the first time, while its earlier land lease deal with IKEA India near Nagasandra station remains one of its most profitable ventures.