DMRC ridership grows, but Metro ad spends still low

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation numbers show that there has been a rise of more than 150% in ridership since September 2020

As per recent Delhi Metro Rail Corporation statistics, there has been a rise of more than 150% in ridership since September when the metro services were resumed post lockdown in Delhi. Also, the average number of passenger journeys have gone up to 16-18 lakh from 6-7 lakh since September. Though the footfall now is 20-25% of the pre-Pandemic traffic of around 60 lakhs, it is in sync with the current capacity offered by the system with the new travel protocols in place.

However, an increase in ridership is yet to translate into any good news for media owners handling advertising rights for the DMRC as advertising continues to remain sluggish at Metro stations. As a leading media owner shared, there are a few queries for campaigns at Metro stations, however nothing has been confirmed yet.

In fact, recently crowded Metro stations such as Rajiv Chowk had empty display boards .

While lack of confidence amongst advertisers is one reason behind, according to a leading media owner, the slow down in Metro advertising is also due to the overall cut in outdoor advertising spends.

The Post-COVID scenario has changed the dynamics of media planning, wherein advertisers are relying heavily on roadside traditional media due to increase in traffic on roads with many avoiding public transport due to safety reasons.