Delhi Metro Names Station ‘FIITJEE IIT’ For Revenue Generation, Covers Signage After IIT Delhi Objects

The never-ending battle over the signage between the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi and the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) refuses to end. Until the matter gets resolved, DMRC has decided to cover up the signs that display the name of FIITJEE, a coaching institute, DNA has reported.

Delhi High Court in May directed DMRC to put up disclaimers to avoid confusion. This was to establish a clarity on the difference between IIT and FIITJEE. IIT has been arguing that the size of the disclaimer is not satisfactory.

IIT-Delhi has objected to the signage claiming that it can mislead people who read it, including those who aspire to get study there. It even bought the matter to the notice of Ministry of Human Resource Development and the Ministry of Urban Development.

The metro board has informed that the branding was outsourced to a third party, which collaborated with FIITJEE. Therefore, the size of the disclaimer is left between FIITJEE and the licensee.

The revenue model where co-branding is allowed has been followed by DMRC since 2014. Metro stations in Delhi, Noida and Faridabad have been used for advertisement by collaborating with several companies. DMRC is soon going to auction the naming rights to over 40 more metro stations.