Mumbai: Anil Ambani’s Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd remains mired in controversies who has adopted a silence on the query related to revenue earned through the name change of Metro stations by providing names of corporate companies. This has come out while going through the replies obtained by RTI activist Anil Galgali. The MMRDA administration has demanded equal distribution of the revenue earned between MMRDA and Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd. The Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd has changed names of Metro stations namely, Andheri (Bank of Baroda), Marol (Ajmera Marol Naka) and Ghatkopar (Vivo Ghatkopar).
RTI activist Anil Galgali sought information from the MMRDA about the name change. The MMRDA transferred the RTI query to Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd. Galgali had sought details of permissions sought from the State Government, the Urban Development Department and the MMRDA for carrying out the name change. Also if the name change has been done without seeking permissions, Galgali sought details of actions initiated against Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd by the MMRDA administration. Amongst the documents provided to Galgali by the MMRDA which contains a letter of the Metropolitan Commissioner UPS Madan dated February 2, 2018 addressed to the Chief Executive Officer of Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd, Abhay Kumar Mishra.
Vide that letter it was conveyed to Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd that, as per the discussion of Madan, with the Central Urban Development Department and on the basis of clarification provided, the MMRDA has no objection to the name changes. Also since issue pertains beyond the scope of the MOU between MMRDA and Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd, the revenue generated through such name change should be equally shared between them and hence directed that the revenue generated by such measures be immediately communicated to the MMRDA.
In its reply, the Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd conveyed citing a letter of Delhi Metro, stating that, the station branding is an revenue earned through advertising. And the station branding should not be equated and understood as name change. The station branding is an advertisement related commercial transactions. The MOU provides required exemptions through it for generating of advertising revenue through such commercial transactions and Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd does not need prior permission from the MMRDA for such acts. The Central Urban Development Department has conveyed to the MMRDA that it has no role in this as the MOU has been executed between the MMRDA administration and Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd. And the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has not taken any approval from it for the station branding done on their stations.
Anil Galgali, in a letter addressed to CM Devendra Fadnavis has conveyed dissatisfaction on the role adopted by the MMRDA administration right from the inception of this project and has demanded that revenue be recovered from the Mumbai Metro by invoking the provisions of Law. He also demanded that the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai should also initiate steps to recover branding charges.
