Delhi: MCD gives green signal to Ads on Taxi’s and Auto; looks ahead for digitization

23rd December 08 ,Delhi The Taxis and Auto rickshaws in Delhi may soon start sporting ads thanks to ambitious revenue –earning scheme by the city’s primary civic agency. The proposal is a part 10-point project envisaged by Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to increase its income from outdoor ads to Rs.300 crore in the next fiscal year. Confirming the same, Vijender Gupta, Chairman of standing committee of MCD said, “We will soon start the tendering process for the scheme to allow owners or operators of taxis, auto, radio taxis and other commercial vehicles to display advertisements on a revenue sharing basis.” Among the other advertising schemes planned by the corporation are allowing ads in the MCD community halls as also on the 8,000 ‘government-to-citizen´ kiosks to be set up in various parts of the city to provide different kinds of facilities to the people. The MCD is also contemplating allowing display of advertisements on electronic screens in various markets. The screens will be installed in a way so that traffic movement is not affected. The civic body had formulated a new advertisement policy last year following the the guidelines of the Supreme Court. The revised policy came after a direction by the apex court to streamline the MCD’s advertisement policy, especially focusing on curbing unauthorised billboards and hoardings that may hit smooth flow of traffic.