The Chandigarh transport department is set to upgrade all bus queue shelters (BQS) across the city with modern amenities, including CCTV cameras integrated with an intelligent transport system (ITS), mobile charging points, dustbins, ITS-enabled route maps, and Passenger Information System (PIS) boards. These enhancements are part of a comprehensive monetization initiative where a private marketing agency will be granted advertising rights at the shelters, bearing the entire cost of installation and maintenance.
Monetization Drive and Revenue Generation
A senior UT official stated, "The department has initiated the process of outdoor advertising at all the BQS in the city. Upgrading of the amenities at the BQS will also be part of the contract with the marketing agency. The cost for all these amenities will be borne by the marketing agencies." The initiative is expected to generate more than Rs 40 crore in revenue from advertisements while significantly reducing the department's expenditure on shelter maintenance.
The selected agency will take over complete operation and management of the 372 BQS, including regular cleaning, graffiti and poster removal, minor repairs, and upkeep of panels and fixtures. Shelters must remain safe, clean, and presentable at all times.
Mandatory Amenities and ITS Integration
Under mandatory terms, the agency will install CCTV cameras with ITS integration, mobile charging points, dustbins, and ITS-integrated route maps at every shelter. All BQS will be equipped with PIS boards displaying live information on bus arrivals and estimated time of arrival (ETA). The agency will also take over, integrate, and maintain existing PIS at 230 shelters and install new ones at remaining locations.
"The project is expected to significantly enhance commuter experience while creating a new revenue stream for the administration through innovative public infrastructure monetization," the official added.
Larger Ad Space to Attract Bidders
After the engineering department completed construction and revamp of the shelters, the transport department took charge of all 372 BQS. These include 187 new BQS, 85 old brick structures, 19 new BQS, 11 RCC, eight stone, and 62 steel shelters. The chief architect of Chandigarh has approved the basic design with an initial advertising space of 13.6 x 4 feet. However, officials noted that current advertising panels are not adequately visible, which may deter potential bidders.
A proposal has been sent to the secretary (urban planning), Chandigarh, seeking approval for larger advertisement spaces of approximately 100 square feet per bus queue shelter. Once concurrence is received, the department plans to float a request for proposal to select the licensee for marketing rights.
