PUNE: The oversized hoardings on the Pune Railway Division properties are a major source of revenue. At present, there are 107 such hoardings, rights for which have been awarded to nine advertising agencies at a cost of Rs 55 crore.

Of the 107 hoardings, only 56 are presently being commercially used by private agencies as the remaining failed to conduct the structural stability audit or failed in the audit. The Pune division told its contractors to strengthen only 29 hoardings in the past few years.

Railway officials said there are contracts worth Rs 55 crore, of this Rs 16 crore is with six outdoor advertising agencies in the Pune division. The division earns Rs 7 crore per annum by selling advertising rights of 107 hoardings located in nine zones within the division, most are in Pune city. 

Four persons were killed and 10 injured after a massive hoarding crashed on 14 commuters, who were waiting at the traffic signal near Juna Bazaar on October 5. As per the Central Railway officials, the accident happened while dismantling the structure. The hoardings managed by the Commercial Department of Pune Railway Division, are a source of substantial revenue.

There is a total of 92,083 sq ft of display area of hoardings facing roads that have been let out by Pune Railway Division on a seven-year contract in 10 zones to six companies. “Of those 51 have been dismantled while 24 will soon be razed as they either failed the stability audit or the private contractor did not conduct the audit,” said the railway official.