NMRC writes to govt organisations, PSUs for co-branding of Aqua Line stations

The Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) has invited bids from various government organisations, public sector undertakings (PSUs) and nationalised banks to submit bids to acquire cobranding rights of Aqua Line Metro stations, officials said Monday.

The NMRC has written to 33 government organisations, banks and PSUs for bidding for co-branding rights of 11 of its stations which are Noida Sector 76, Sector 101, Sector 81, NSEZ, Sector 83, Sector 143, Sector 144, Sector 145, Sector 146, Sector 147 and Depot Station, they said.

"The main purpose behind writing to these government sector organisations is to remove third-party mediation from a potential transaction with fellow government organisations and simplify the process," the NMRC said.

"It was observed across many Indian metros that government organisations take the co-branding of metro stations from a third-party vendor which resulted in government organisations paying a higher amount than required to the third party," it said in a statement.

It said the co-branding rights for the stations will be awarded to the organisation with the highest bid.

Some of the organisations that the NMRC has written to include NTPC Ltd, ONGC, SAIL, BHEL, GAIL, NBCC, Engineers India Ltd., MTNL, Power Finance Corporation, Power Grid Corporation of India, Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited, Shipping Corporation of India and nationalised banks like State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Punjab National Bank, Canara Bank, Union Bank of India, Industrial Development Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank and Syndicate Bank.

A meeting with these organisations has been scheduled on May 24 at 12.00 pm at NMRC's headquarters here, the statement read.

The aqua line comprises 21 stations, out of which co-branding rights for five stations have been awarded through open tender system to private parties (sector 137, sector 142, Knowledge Park - II, Pari Chowk and Alpha - 1).

The NMRC said it has shortlisted 11 stations from the remaining 16 stations for inviting bids from government organisations, PSUs and nationalised banks.

The remaining five stations -- Noida Sector 51, Sector 50, Sector 148, Delta-1 and GNIDA Office -- will be put up for cobranding through open tendering, it added.

"Total annual revenue earned by NMRC through co-branding for these five stations will be Rs 5.52 crores," it said.

"The co-branding rights for these stations have been given to the licencees for a period of 10 years and the licencees will be responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of these stations," it added.