Kolkata: Over the last two decades, Bandhan has sought to reach out to empower Indians from all walks of life through access to formal financial services. Similarly, a city-based rapid transit system like the Kolkata Metro – the first of its kind to come up in India – helps empower citizens from all walks of life by affording access to hassle-free commute.
Keeping this synergy in mind, Bandhan Bank has entered into an arrangement with Kolkata Metro for the branding rights of the Salt Lake Sector V metro station. With this, the station will now be called ‘Bandhan Bank Salt Lake Sector V Metro Station’. Notably, this is the first of its kind arrangement for the Indian Railways where a private entity has been given the branding rights to an entire station. While such arrangements are seen across various metro stations in other larger cities, this is the first for Indian Railways and also for the city of Kolkata, whose metro service is the oldest in the country.
Bandhan Bank was also the first BFSI brand to tie up with Kolkata Metro for their Smart Card branding a few months ago. It was a maiden deal in the history of Kolkata Metro as the rapid transit system joined hands with a private entity to leverage its vast user base via an exclusive medium.
Salt Lake Sector V was where Bandhan Bank was born. The registered office and the head office of the bank are in Sector V. Since Sector V is a major IT, commercial and education hub, the station promises to have good commuter traffic in the future. It will also serve as a point of interchange between two metro lines, which will further augment footfalls at the station.
“Along with the earlier tie-up for branding smart cards issued to commuters, the branding of Bandhan Bank Salt Lake Sector V metro station, which will soon be bustling with people across age groups and social strata, promises to substantially amplify the Bank’s visibility and brand recall. The partnership with Kolkata Metro is Bandhan Bank’s tribute to the indomitable spirit of Kolkata’s hardworking citizens, from whom the metro is a lifeline,” a Bandhan Bank spokesperson said.
Manoj Joshi, General Manager, Eastern Railways, said: “We are glad to join hands with a home-grown organisation for the very first initiative of its kind for the Indian Railways. Bandhan Bank is a household name in the city of Kolkata and for us at Indian Railways, it is a proud moment to exemplify the advertising and brand building potential of metro stations with respect to commuter audiences via Bandhan Bank. I congratulate and thank Bandhan Bank for yet another first-of-its-kind initiative in Kolkata.”
