Kochi Metro Secures Co-Branding Rights for All Stations

Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) has secured semi-naming rights for all 25 stations on its Blue Line, becoming the first Metro network in India to achieve full station co-branding, as it targets non-fare revenue of ₹50 crore in the financial year 2026-27.

Under the initiative, brands will be associated with existing station names, allowing KMRL to generate additional commercial revenue.

The semi-naming rights for Vyttila Metro Station are in the final stages of being awarded.

A senior KMRL official said the process is expected to be completed within a month, after which the Metro operator will generate branding revenue from all its active stations.

The station co-branding initiative is expected to contribute ₹6 crore annually.

Metro targets 51.52% growth in non-fare revenue

KMRL is targeting a 51.52% increase in non-fare box revenue (NFBR) during the current financial year, compared with ₹33 crore in the previous financial year.

The revenue target comes after the end of an agreement under which Axis Bank paid ₹209 crore in royalty over 10 years for the automated fare collection system.

The agreement concluded in FY2025-26, with the royalty contributing more than ₹30 crore annually.

KMRL recorded an operational profit of ₹52.64 crore in FY2025-26, while its net loss narrowed to ₹352.49 crore from ₹430.5 crore in the previous financial year.

The Metro's average daily ridership currently stands at 1.25 lakh, against the projected 3.8 lakh to 4.2 lakh passengers per day at full operational stabilisation of Phase 1.

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Phase 2 corridor to offer additional commercial opportunities

KMRL managing director G Priyanka has instructed department heads to prepare for commercial monetisation along the upcoming Phase 2 corridor between JLN Stadium and Infopark.

The 11-station corridor is expected to be completed by August 2027. Five prospective clients have already approached KMRL for semi-naming rights.

The operator plans to introduce station branding across the corridor alongside advertisements inside and outside trains, as well as advertising placements on pillars and medians.

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Metro expands advertising and property revenue streams

KMRL has awarded median beautification work along the 15-km Edapally to Tripunithura stretch.

The project is expected to generate advertising revenue through licence fees, with the annual licence fee fixed at ₹30 lakh.

The Metro has also introduced audio advertisements on trains on an experimental basis. These advertisements will be played before trains reach the stations specified by advertisers.

Other revenue sources include film shoots inside stations and promotional reel-making inside Metro trains. A four-hour film shoot generated ₹1 lakh.

KMRL has also tendered the leasing of optical fibre cables to telecom companies for Wi-Fi services and is exploring the leasing of space for telecom towers.

Property development within stations has contributed to rental income, with IIM-Calicut operating from a new building at Cusat station and 'i by Infopark' occupying a nine-storey building at South Station.

The Metro also leases space for electric vehicle charging stations, ATMs, banks, dormitories and hotels.

Meanwhile, the Bliss City project, a mixed-use development spread across 31.43 acres in Kakkanad, is moving into active construction.

Its initial phase will include commercial, shopping and entertainment facilities.

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