Advertisement on medians, lamp posts: Chennai Corpn to assign rights under PPP to earn Rs 32 cr

CHENNAI: The Chennai Corporation has planned to generate revenue by assigning rights to private players to display advertisements on the medians and lamp posts across the city under the public-private partnership model.

The local body has devised the plan in a bid to optimise and maximise the utilisation of its existing assets within the corporation limits, particularly centre medians with minimal greenery and street light poles in the bus route roads.

GCC expects to generate Rs 32.50 crore as revenue by finding concessionaires, allowing the private players to utilise the advertisement rights to erect commercial advertisements, including backlit and non-backlit kiosk boards.

The local body also floated tenders in four packages to implement the project across the city to boost the income of the exchequer.

The work of the successful bidder will be to procure, fabricate, install and erect the advertising units, including frames and boards in the project sites and maintain the site until the expiry of the tender period.

The concessionaire should erect or install and commission the advertisement units in compliance with the Tamil Nadu Urban Local Bodies Rules, 2023, or else they will face a penalty, said a GCC official.

The design and placement of the advertising units must prioritise road safety, taking into account moving vehicles and pedestrian traffic, said the official.

The concessionaire is authorised to utilise the advertising units for the display of advertisements, subject to obtaining all necessary approvals, permissions, and licenses from the GCC, he added.

According to the sources, the GCC has listed 17,813 sites with advertisement units, the concessionaires will be selected by August, and the project will be completed within six months.