This is what Railways is going to do to increase revenues. No, it is not increasing fares for now

The railway is now looking forward to brand trains and stations in order to raise the revenues without raising passenger’s fares or freight rates. The railways have already readied a plan to do so.

The proposal is ready and is expected to get the approval of the railway board next week.

As per the policy, a company can buy consolidated media rights for branding the entire train. It can then advertise both inside and outside the bogies.

"The railways has shunned the earlier approach of selling advertisement rights on a piece-meal basis and is ready with plans to award media rights for the entire train (both inside and outside) and stations on a long-term basis to big corporate players," a senior official told ET.

The plan was accelerated after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at a recent meeting, asked the railway brass to mop up revenues from alternative sources like tapping advertisement potential.

Similar plans were announced during the previous UPA governments, but they did not materialise.

Railway targets Rs 2,000 crore non-fare revenue

Eyeing a substantial revenue from non-fare sources, railways will try to reach out to big names from the advertising world for spaces on trains, level crossings and areas along tracks besides offering major platforms for installing over 2,000 ATMs.