Sponsor’s names, logos to be visible on Indian railways

The Railway Board has announced the authorization to use brand names, names of persons, government and company logo, with names of railway stations. The objective of permitting station branding, co-branding, rights for using semi-naming at railway stations is to generate non-fare revenue. This new feature does not aim to change the names of the railway stations and is only a kind of advertisement. The suffix or prefix of the logo or brand name attached to the name of the railway station will not exceed two words, according to a letter addressed by the Railway Board to all those occupying the position of general managers in all the railway zones of the country.
Co-branding is excluded from websites, railway tickets, route maps, rail display networks, public address systems’ announcements, and PRS. Only the actual name of the railway stations shall be used at these places. However, co-branding is allowed in all those places inside the station building area where the names of the railway stations are visible.
The licensee will be provided with advertising rights for displaying its brand name at the railway stations, given the available space and conditions of the out-of-home policy. The space to be allotted for station branding will be determined by the respective divisions, taking into account the characteristic features of the stations, to make it look aesthetically pleasing. The letter also mentions that caution should be taken so that the station names are not shadowed by the brand names, which can affect the operations and functioning of the trains. However, bequest buildings, railway stations which are named after esteemed personalities, martyrs, and national leaders will not be included as part of this reframed policy.
It is also not allowed to display surrogate advertisements, promotion by political parties, individual personalities, religious institutions, as part of this structure.
Railway Board has decided that the names of the prefix-suffix are to be of different sizes and font colours from the Indian Railway’s logo. It cannot be similar to the Indian Railways logo.
According to Dr Shivam Sharma, chief public relations officer of North Central Railways, the license of the co-branding period shall last for a period of one year to three years.
Shashi Kant Singh, chief commercial manager (PCCM), has said that the three divisions Jhansi, Prayagraj, Agra have been told to carry on the needed marketing and publicise the policy.