Chandigarh: In a major push to improve facilities for commuters, the Chandigarh transport department will soon install CCTV cameras with intelligent transport system (ITS) integration, mobile charging points, dustbins, ITS-enabled route maps, and Passenger Information System (PIS) boards at all bus queue shelters (BQS) across the city.The upgrades will be carried out as part of a comprehensive monetization drive, under which a private marketing agency will be granted advertising rights at the shelters. The agency will bear the entire cost of installing and maintaining the new amenities.“The department has initiated the process of outdoor advertising at all the BQS in the city. Upgrading of the amenities at the BQS will also be part of the contract with the marketing agency. The cost for all these amenities will be borne by the marketing agencies,” a senior UT official said.The initiative is expected to generate more than Rs 40 crore in revenue from advertisements while significantly reducing the department’s expenditure on maintenance of the shelters. The selected agency will take over complete operation and management of the 372 BQS, including regular cleaning, graffiti and poster removal, minor repairs, and upkeep of panels and fixtures. The shelters must remain safe, clean, and presentable at all times.Under the mandatory terms, the agency will install CCTV cameras with ITS integration, mobile charging points, dustbins, and ITS-integrated route maps at every shelter. All BQS will be equipped with PIS boards displaying live information on bus arrivals and estimated time of arrival (ETA). The agency will also take over, integrate, and maintain existing PIS at 230 shelters and install new ones at the remaining locations.“The project is expected to significantly enhance commuter experience while creating a new revenue stream for the administration through innovative public infrastructure monetization,” said the official.Larger Ad Space to Attract BiddersAfter the engineering department completed construction and revamp of the shelters, the transport department took charge of all 372 BQS. These include 187 new BQS, 85 old brick structures, 19 new BQS, 11 RCC, eight stone, and 62 steel shelters.The chief architect, Chandigarh, has approved the basic design of the shelters along with an initial advertising space of 13.6 x 4 feet. However, officials noted that the current advertising panels are not adequately visible, which may deter potential bidders.A proposal has been sent to the secretary (urban planning), Chandigarh, seeking approval for larger advertisement spaces of approximately 100 square feet per bus queue shelter. Once concurrence is received, the department plans to float a request for proposal to select the licensee for marketing rights.
