MMRC spends nearly Rs 1 crore on publicity blitz to revamp image
MMRC has appointed three different agencies to handle its website, public relations and social media in particular
To fight negative propaganda against the Colaba-Bandra-Seepz Metro 3 underground corridor on social media platforms and the media in general, the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) has spent nearly Rs 1 crore by appointing several private agencies to handle its public relations and social media. The information obtained by DNA under the Right To Information (RTI) Act, 2005 reveals that several agencies were hired to monitor discussions about the MMRC on social media.
MMRC has appointed three different agencies to handle its website, public relations and social media in particular. Interestingly, the Metro 3 project has been mired in controversy over the construction of a Metro car depot inside Aarey Milk Colony with residents from Girgaum protesting their rehabilitation.
Documents accessed by DNA show that MMRC appointed M/S Genesis Burson-Marsteller Public Relation Private to provide public relations and media content management to the MMRC by agreeing to pay a one-year fee of Rs 71.04 lakh. It also appointed a separate agency M/S Goldmine Advertising Limited, to handle its social media paying it about Rs 11.28 lakh.
The role of these particular agencies includes providing monthly reports on conversations held on social media channels, issuing media statements during issues and crisis and providing proactive storytelling to media which converts into a positive story, creating, updating and continuously monitoring social media presence of MMRC and responding to queries of social media platforms.
"The idea was to make our presence felt on social media as every government is adapting and are making themselves visible in the digital world. We have not used our official social media accounts to counter activists, who constantly post negative things about the project on Twitter. We have just put forward facts and benefits of Metro-3 on social media," an MMRC official said.
MMRC also spent another Rs 44.22 lakh in the past two years to maintain its official website and around Rs 45.76 lakh on designing its official website.