Bennett Coleman & Company also bagged Cuttack with a Rs 22 lakh bid. Cochin went to BPL-backed Indigo Radio for Rs 2.25 crore while Chennai-based Sumangali Publications got the licence for Coimbatore at a fee of Rs 3.35 crore.

Other companies which bagged Delhi include Nimbus Communication, Mid Day Radio North India, Millinnium Delhi Private Limited, Hind Broadcasting, Hindustan Broadcasting, Music Broadcast and Dream Radio India. The minimum reserve price for Delhi was Rs 1.25 crore. Of the 24 applicants in the fray, 19 pitched in.

The licence figure of Rs 7.12 crore is the highest till date after Bangalore went for Rs 6.68 crore, followed closely by Chandigarh (Rs 6.65 crore). In an earlier round of bidding New India Broadcasting and Bennett Coleman and Company had bagged Ahemdabad for Rs 2.55 crore.

The licences for the four cities was awarded by Ministry of Information & Broadcasting in an open auction on Tuesday. Single frequency was up for grab at Coimbatore, Cochin and Cuttack.

At Cuttack there was intense competition between Bennett Coleman & Company and New Media Broadcasting. The minimum reserve price for the city was Rs 20 lakh. For Coimbatore and Cochin the figure was Rs 50 lakh.

The period of the licences will be for ten years from the date of issue of the operational licence by the Wireless Coordination Committee. The licence amount is for the first year with a provision of 15 per cent increase every year. With today's auction, a total of fourteen cities have been covered and a sum of Rs 179.405 crore has been committed to AIR.