Upholding the Supreme Court directive and Transport Department’s stand on advertisements (advt) on Volvo buses, the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has kept the tender for advertisements on Volvo buses on hold. However, as far as advertisement tenders for ordinary buses like Pushpak and others are concerned, BMTC officials confirmed that the tenders are being sought.
Speaking to City Express, Anjum Parvez, MD, BMTC said, “We will notify a single agency for advertisements in three aspects, the body of the bus, inside the bus and audio/video advertisements.”
This is the first time that BMTC is introducing audio/video advts. Anjum adds, “This is the first time we are trying something like this. We will have to wait and watch how it pans out. If it does not work, we have to think of other options.”
SC prohibits display of advertisements on glasses. Similarly, the Regional Transport Office had objected to the full-body wrap advertisements arguing that it affected visibility in buses. Commenting on the deadlock pertaining to advertisements on Volvo buses, Anjum said, “Until we reach a common platform with the Transport Department no tender will be processed for advts on Volvo buses.”
Earlier in 2010, BMTC Volvos buses had continued to display advts even after intervention by the Transport Department.
Government advts with large photographs of chief minister BS Yeddyurappa and transport minister R Ashoka were also part of the menace. Subsequently, prompt action from RTO followed and they refused to give fitness certificates to Volvo buses with ads. However, cases of BMTC officials using removable ad material without using glue came to forefront.