Stop it! Navalkar at it again

Lal, when contacted, admitted that “a large chunk of revenue will be lost in taking such a step.” He,however, could not tell how much the loss would be. But sources said the undertaking was due to earn around Rs 9 crore every year through such advertisements – a new concept in outdoor advertising which was fast catching on. However, senior officials said since there was no BEST investment involved, there was no question of losses. “We have just lost a new source of revenue,” said one official. Lal, however, laments the death of a good marketing tool. “It had tremendous potential,” he said.

Sources in the undertaking said they had received complaints about generators being used for illuminating the shelters, which allegedly were causing inconvenience to the commuters.

In a note to the BEST committee, Lal stated that the advertising agency, Vantage Advertising Limited, with whom the BEST has a three-year contract, had erected the backdrops without seeking the approval of the BEST. The agency had also installed generator sets without seeking permission for the same. Also, the note adds, the agency tookup beautification of some of the bus shelters without paying the necessary charges to the undertaking.

Officials at Vantage Advertising Ltd refused to comment on the issue saying that they had obeyed the undertaking’s order to remove the backdrops.“However we have suffered huge losses in the process,” lamented an official from the firm who did not wish to be named.

But the advertising industry has not taken to the ban on erecting backdrops kindly. “Erecting backdrops is not an illegal activity, in some places BEST itself has erected them,” claimed an advertiser, who preferred anonymity. Others claimed that the advertisers were being harassed because the politicians were searching for issues to garner votes.