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Home » Viewpoints » ‘Smart transport will change the media landscape of Kolkata’

‘Smart transport will change the media landscape of Kolkata’

By Ria Banerjee - July 16, 2018

Narayan Swaroop Nigam, Secretary, Transport Department, Govt of West Bengal and Managing Director, WBTC, CSTC & WBSTC shares his perspectives on how technology adoption to augment the urban transportation systems will augment the advertising opportunities

Advertising avenues on app-based service

With the development of transportation system and GPS-enabled smart phones, technology has become user-friendly. For more personalised transportation, West Bengal State Transport Corporation (WBSTC) brought in a new initiative, Pathadisha, a free downloadable app from the website of WBSTC, supported by all smart phones. It houses information regarding the bus timings, bus-routes, probable facility to track the buses and estimated time to reach the passenger’s destination with real time. Passengers can plan their journey with real-time information on buses. The app also strengthens sustainability and profitability of the operation, thereby tracking bus routes. Deviation and false complaints of breakdown have drastically reduced, resulting in 26% revenue growth and 20% commuter growth. To support this technology, digital LED has been installed in 50 places like Exide crossing, Minto Park crossing etc, complying with the app service. WBSTC also plans to introduce ad displays on the app before the end of this year for which the transport department is about to float tender rights.

Growth in bus transport

Compared to last year when Rs 60-80 crore procurement cost was incurred towards bus fleets, this year a huge procurement cost of Rs 5 crore has already been incurred for Jadavpur bus terminus which is on the threshold of completion. The construction of 70 bus terminuses by the state transport department is expected by the year 2021.

Demand for more advertising space

WBSTC has rolled out to offer tender rights for branding on buses and trams to several outdoor agencies for three years. The branding has been deployed on exterior and interior wrapping, TV, LED display, installation of radio in the buses. The companies seeking tender rights are demanding more advertising space as there has been a growth in the opportunity to advertise.

Clutter-free environment

Unplanned and unstructured hoardings near bus terminus create a clutter and visual pollution. Terminuses near Tollygunge, Naktala, Garia, Behala have hoardings that are unplanned and not designed properly. These usually create visual pollution and also mar the city beautification in the context of visual display, also adversely affecting advertisers’ target audience. There needs to be some sanity in planning structured hoardings. The transport department has signed up with several agencies and entered into contracts for the purpose of removing the clutter.

Additional media formats

With more buses commuting across the city, there is apparently more advertising scope in the transit media platform. AC buses from the State Transport Corporation deliver regular services with real time. TV, LED displays and radio with organised PIS app and Pathadisha are some media formats that have been deployed in buses and trams.

Water taxi transport

In order to make the state waterway transport more pliable, WBSTC has taken an initiative by introducing water taxi, which is operating from Millennium Park to Dakhineshwar via Belur Math while the other will be operating from Millennium Park to Belur via Dakhineshwar. Two water taxis are operating under tender rights along the banks of Hoogly River. Four to five water taxis, from Millennium Park and Princep Ghat to Khidderpore, have been scheduled to operate by the end of this year. As yet, there is no advertising avenue for this mode of transport since it is not popular among the masses.

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