After exploring the potential of the Vashi bus depot, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport (NMMT) has decided to construct 79 bus shelters on a build, operate, and transfer (BOT) basis and give the right of advertisements to the appointed company. The civic transport wing expects to churn out around Rs 19 crore as a concession fee from the appointed company or concessionaire.
The NMMT will build new modern and commuter-friendly bus shelters for commuters. It has floated a request for proposal (RFP) to appoint a company or concessionaire for the construction of 79 bus shelters on a BOT basis with advertisement rights.
The company appointed will finance the construction, repair, and operate bus shelters for the next 15 years. However, at the end of the agreement period, the bus shelters will be transferred to NMMT. According to a senior civic official, if all goes well, new swanky bus shelters will come up at important locations of NMMC jurisdiction in the next year.
Talking about the specification of the swanky bus shelters, the official said that there will be provisions for LED lighting. “Apart from financing, the company will have to bring the design in which NMMT may make changes if required,” said the official.
The operator of the bus shelters will get the right to advertisements for all 79 bus shelters for a period of 15 years. However, 10 percent of the space for the advertisement in bus shelters will be used by NMMT for its own purposes. “We expect that in the next 15 years, the NMMT will earn upto Rs 19 crores as concession fee as per the terms and agreement with the appointed contractor,” said the official.
The loss-making transport undertaking of NMMC is also developing a commercial complex at sector 9 in Vashi. The 21-storey commercial complex is likely to be completed by June 2023. The complex will generate a large amount of non-transportation revenue for the loss-making NMMT. The cost incurred on the construction of the building is expected to be recovered from the rent of the service facilities in the next 8 years,” said a senior civic official.
