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Railways Bans Alcohol, Tobacco Ads; Sets Strict Ad Rules for Stations & Trains

Indian Railways has established comprehensive policies governing advertisements across its network, including stations and trains. The rules explicitly prohibit advertisements for alcoholic drinks, tobacco products, and content with erotic backgrounds. All advertising contracts are awarded through a centralized e-auction system, and plans for train ads require prior divisional approval. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw provided these details in a reply to the Rajya Sabha.

Key Points: Railways Prohibits Alcohol, Tobacco Ads in New Policy

  • Ads for alcohol & tobacco banned
  • Erotic background scenes prohibited
  • Prior approval mandatory for train ads
  • Contracts awarded via e-auction
2 min read

Advertisements objectionable in eyes of law prohibited for display in railways: Ashwini Vaishnaw

Indian Railways bans ads for alcohol, tobacco, and erotic content. All ads require prior approval and must comply with state and central laws.

"Advertisements that are objectionable in the eyes of the law are prohibited. - Ashwini Vaishnaw"

New Delhi, March 29

Indian Railways has formulated comprehensive Non-Fare Revenue policies to earn non-fare revenue through advertisement and branding initiatives. Under the Out-of-Home advertising policy, there are opportunities for advertising in circulating areas of stations.

Rail Display Network (RDN) policy enables digital advertising through screens and display systems in stations and circulating areas. In addition, mobile assets such as trains and coaches (both inside and outside) have been leveraged for branding and advertising under extant guidelines.

Revenue earned from advertisements is a part of Sundry Revenue. The segment-wise Revenue details are available in the Annual Statistical Statement of Indian Railways.

All advertisement contracts are awarded through e-auction on the Indian Railways E-Procurement System (IREPS) online portal. The bidder is selected as per the policy on Commercial Earnings and Non-Fare Revenue and the related Special Conditions of Contract, which outline the eligibility criteria for advertisers.

For advertisements displayed in trains, prior approval for every Advertising Plan is mandatory and has to be submitted to the office of the Divisional Authority of the concerned Railway Division. However, brand selection for the display of advertisements is the advertising agency's prerogative.

An advertising agency is required to follow Central/ State Laws for the display of advertisements. Advertisements that are objectionable in the eyes of the law are prohibited. The following advertisements are not permitted for display inside/outside trains:

Advertisements for alcoholic drinks.Advertisements against background scenes which are erotic in character.Competitive advertisements from other modes of transport.

Advertisement from Private Insurance companies offering policies against Railway Accidents. Advertisements of Cigarettes, Bidis and other Tobacco products.

However, in case of any violation, an immediate corrective action is taken.

This information was provided by the Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting and Electronics & Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, in a reply to a question in Rajya Sabha on Friday.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Finally some clarity! The e-auction system for contracts is good for transparency. But the real test is enforcement. Who is checking these ads at thousands of stations daily? Hope they have a proper monitoring mechanism.
A
Aman W
Non-fare revenue is important for railways' modernization. But the policy banning ads from "other modes of transport" seems overly protective. In a free market, a little competition visibility shouldn't hurt. Focus should be on improving rail service itself.
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Sarah B
As a frequent traveler, I appreciate this. The last thing you want on a long journey is to be bombarded with ads for alcohol or inappropriate content. The digital screens can be used for useful info too, like train schedules and safety messages.
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Vikram M
Good to see the ban on private insurance ads for railway accidents. That always felt exploitative and in bad taste. Railways should ensure passenger safety, not provide a platform for companies to profit from fear of accidents.
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Karthik V
The policy is fine on paper, but implementation is key. I've still seen surrogate ads for tobacco products at some stations. The "immediate corrective action" promise needs to be backed by a strong complaint system for passengers to report violations.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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