Karnataka HC Halts BMRCL’s Rs 650 Million Ad Tender

12 Nov 2025 CW Team

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.

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.

Infrastructure Transport

11 May 2026

Shivraj Chouhan Launches PMGSY IV and Announces Package for Madhya Pradesh

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) IV at Bhairunda in Sehore district during the 25 year celebrations and announced a development package for Madhya Pradesh. The programme was organised by the Union Ministry of Rural Development and attended by Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav, ministers of state, state ministers, legislators and senior officials from the centre and the state. The minister said the central government under the Prime Minister is committed to strengthening rural livelihoods through improved connectivity, housing and women's in..

Infrastructure Urban

11 May 2026

DMR Engineering Reports FY 25-26 Financial Results

DMR Engineering reported its half year results for the financial year ended 31 March 2026 and published full year figures on a standalone basis. Standalone revenue from operations decreased by 2.01 per cent year-over-year to Rs 102.58 million (mn), while profit after tax declined by 43.94 per cent to nine point five six mn, leaving a profit after tax margin of nine point zero five per cent. Earnings per share stood at Rs zero point nine two, a fall of 44.71 per cent year-over-year. The company attributed part of the decline to one-off provisioning for bad debts and additional financing charges..

Infrastructure Urban

11 May 2026

Atlanta Electricals Posts Strong FY26 Growth And Debt Free Finish

Atlanta Electricals reported audited consolidated results for the quarter and year ended 31 March 2026. The company recorded significant year-on-year revenue growth driven by capacity ramp-up at new facilities and higher utilisation at legacy plants. The announcement summarised operating improvements and strategic milestones achieved during the year. For Q4 the company reported revenue of Rs 7.48 bn and for FY26 revenue of Rs 18.52 bn, representing robust growth versus the prior year. EBITDA in Q4 was Rs. 1.49 bn and Rs. 3.44 bn for the full year, with margins expanding to 20 per cent in the q..