**Executive Summary**
This document presents the Indian Railways' response to an unstarred question regarding advertisements in railway stations and trains, to be answered on December 17, 2025. It outlines the policies and guidelines governing advertisements, the revenue generated, measures to prevent misleading content, and steps to expand digital advertising. The response clarifies policies, processes, and revenue related to railway advertisements.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Advertisement Policies and Guidelines:**
* Advertisements in station premises are governed by the Rail Display Network (RDN) Policy.
* Advertisements in other railway areas fall under the Out of Home Advertising (OOHA) Policy.
* Advertising on train and locomotive surfaces is managed under various Mobile Assets policies.
* **Contract Awarding and Advertiser Eligibility:**
* Advertisement contracts are awarded via e-auction on the Indian Railways E-Procurement System (IREPS).
* Bidder selection is based on the policy on Commercial Earnings and Non-Fare Revenue, along with related Special Conditions of Contract.
* The Special Conditions of Contract outline eligibility criteria for advertisers.
* **Revenue Generation:**
* Revenue data is maintained zone-wise.
* Over the last five years, Rs. 1,313 cr has been earned from station-level and train-level advertisements.
* **Content Standards and Monitoring:**
* Special Conditions of Contract include provisions for display standards and restrictions to prevent misleading, harmful, or non-permitted content.
* The Railway administration ensures compliance through regular monitoring of advertisement sites.
* **Digital Advertising Expansion:**
* The Ministry has introduced the Rail Display Network Policy.
* This policy allows Railways to install digital screens, video walls, Glow Sign Boards, and similar formats.
* Zonal Railways have awarded contracts for digital advertising.
* Metro Railway Kolkata has awarded station co-branding contracts based on local feasibility.
**Impact Analysis**
**Advertisers/Bidders**
* **Impact:** Affected by the policies and guidelines that determine what, where, and how they can advertise on railway premises. Also impacted by the IREPS e-auction process for awarding contracts and eligibility criteria.
* **Action Required:** Understand and comply with the RDN and OOHA policies, Special Conditions of Contract, eligibility criteria, and participate in the IREPS e-auction.
**Railway Administration**
* **Impact:** Responsible for implementing and monitoring compliance with the various advertising policies, including the RDN and OOHA policies, and for awarding contracts.
* **Action Required:** Implement the policies, monitor advertisement sites for compliance, ensure adherence to the IREPS e-auction process, and continue expanding digital advertising initiatives.
**Passengers/Public**
* **Impact:** Experience the advertisements displayed at railway stations, platforms, and trains.
* **Action Required:** No specific action required.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Railways: The government ministry responsible for policies regarding advertisements at railway stations and trains.
Indian Railways: The entity that has issued various policies regarding advertisements at railway stations, platforms, foot-overbridges and inside trains.
Rail Display Network (RDN) Policy: Policy governing advertisements in station premises.
Out of Home Advertising (OOHA) Policy: Policy covering advertisements in other Railway areas.
Metro Railway Kolkata: Awarded station co-branding contracts.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2902
TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.12.2025
ADVERTISEMENTS IN RAILWAY STATIONS AND TRAINS
2902. SHRI S JAGATHRATCHAKAN:
Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:
(a) the details of policies and guidelines governing advertisements
displayed in railway stations, platforms, foot-overbridges and inside
trains along with the criteria used to approve advertisers;
(b) the revenue generated from station-level and train-level
advertisements during the last five years, State/UT and railway-zone-
wise;
(c) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to ensure
advertisements displayed in public railway spaces do not promote
misleading, harmful/non-permitted content along with the
mechanism for monitoring such violations; and
(d) the measures implemented/being implemented to expand digital
advertising, modern display systems and station branding initiatives
to increase non-fare revenue for the Railways?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND
ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)
(a) to (d): Various policies regarding advertisements displayed at
railway stations, platforms, foot-overbridges, and inside trains have
been issued by Indian Railways. These includes:
…2/--2-
Advertisements in station premises are governed by the Rail
Display Network (RDN) Policy
Advertisements in other Railway areas are covered under the
Out of Home Advertising (OOHA) Policy.
Advertising on the interior and exterior surfaces of trains and
locomotives is covered under various policies on Mobile Assets.
All advertisement contracts are awarded through e-auction on the
Indian Railways E-Procurement System (IREPS) online portal, where
the bidder is selected as per the policy on Commercial Earnings and
Non-Fare Revenue and the related Special Conditions of Contract,
which also outline the eligibility criteria for advertisers.
Revenue generated from station-level and train-level advertisements
is maintained zone-wise, as each Zonal Railway covers multiple
States and Union Territories. During last 5 years, Rs. 1,313 cr have
been earned through station-level and train-level advertisements.
To ensure that advertisements do not display misleading, harmful, or
non-permitted content, the Special Conditions of Contract include
provisions on display standards and restrictions. Railway
administration ensures compliance through regular monitoring of
advertisement sites.
…3/--3-
To promote digital advertising, the Ministry has also introduced the
Rail Display Network Policy, which allows Railways to install digital
screens, video walls, Glow Sign Boards and similar formats. Zonal
Railways have accordingly awarded contracts for digital advertising,
and Metro Railway Kolkata has awarded station co-branding
contracts based on local feasibility.
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