In a setback for the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), the Karnataka High Court has issued an interim stay on the corporation’s outdoor advertising tender, estimated to generate around Rs 650 million in revenue, citing possible bias and unfair treatment towards smaller advertising firms.

The interim order, passed by Justice Suraj Govindaraj on 30 October, came in response to a petition filed by the Indian Outdoor Advertising Association (IOAA). The stay halts implementation of the tender issued on 17 September 2025 for advertising rights on Metro piers and portals.

The court observed that the scoring system in the tender appeared one-sided and discriminatory, particularly disadvantaging smaller firms. Notices have been issued to BMRCL, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), and the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA). The next hearing is scheduled for 13 November 2025.

Under Table 12 of the tender document, 50 out of 100 marks were allocated to three subjective criteria — experience in Metro projects, proposed design and methodology, and presentation of work plan (PPT). The court remarked that such parameters granted excessive discretion in evaluation and could lead to partiality.

It further noted that bidders with prior Metro experience could easily surpass the minimum qualifying score of 70 required to open financial bids, effectively excluding smaller firms represented by the IOAA. The Bench directed BMRCL to review the grievances raised by the petitioner association, which represents numerous outdoor advertisers across Karnataka.

Following regulatory changes by the Greater Bengaluru Authority, BMRCL obtained exclusive rights to lease advertising space across its Metro corridors. The tender included outdoor ad rights for over 4,000 Metro pillars and station surroundings along three major corridors.

Currently, outdoor advertising in Bengaluru is limited to bus shelters and skywalks, making the Metro-pillar ad space highly sought-after. While BMRCL estimated Rs 650 million in revenue from the tender, industry experts suggest the actual potential could be nearly three times higher for the winning bidder.

The High Court’s order has effectively paused the tender process until further directions. The upcoming hearing will determine whether BMRCL must revise the evaluation criteria or reissue the tender to ensure fair participation.