MUMBAI: In a first, the Central Railway (CR) will look at increasing revenue from sources other than fares i.e. advertisements. The CR plans to get companies advertise on its employee pay-slips, and bed-sheet envelopes and napkins provided to its passengers in AC coaches. The Mumbai division of the CR will be the first in the country to tap other sources of revenue.
The CR is expected to earn over Rs 1 crore with this exercise. The idea was floated by former Union railway minister Suresh Prabhu in 2017. The CR spends Rs 2.5 lakh on stationery for employee pay-slips every year. There are 36,000 employees attached to its Mumbai division.
A senior official of the CR said, “This exercise will save expenditure on stationery. At the same time, the advertiser will also pay Rs 5 to 6 lakh annually for printing the advertisement. The housing loan advertisement is expected to be printed on salary slips.”
As many as 96 lakh envelopes are used to provide bed-sheets and napkins to passengers of all AC coaches of express trains in the Mumbai division. Another official of the CR said, “Passengers will look at the envelopes while removing bed-sheets and napkins. We will tap into that moment by printing advertisements of companies.” Presently, the CR prints these envelopes.
The official further said, “The contract for advertisement will be given to the company, which will provide the envelope free-of-cost to the railway along with paying charges for the advertisement.”
According to the CR, there is potential to generate up to Rs 1 crore from advertisements alone. The move appears to be aimed at improving the financial condition of the railway.
