Section 01
Place & movement
Define origin, destination, route, users or goods before diagnosing.
Record India → State/UT → District → City/Block → Village/Ward → corridor, stop, station, terminal or hazard only at the resolution supported by evidence. Include date, day type, time, season, direction, trip purpose or commodity, mode, transfer points, operator and affected population.
Complete-journey gate
A fast trunk segment can coexist with a poor journey. Measure access, waiting, interchange, in-vehicle time, last mile, cost, reliability and safety from origin to destination.
Data reference table
Evidence Snapshot
Read each value with its reporting period, population and limitations. A historical national reference is not a local baseline or proof that an IFT proposal works.
2 source-linked reference records. 3 measurement records still need data and a review of their relevance.
| Signal | Reference Value | Period / Population | How to Read It | Source Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metro-network length reported by government | Over 1,000 km Historical reference | Status published 5 January 2025 India; network described in the PIB metro brief | A network-length stock measure. Limitations: Definition and later revisions may differ from Metro/RRTS combined series. Not proof of affordable access or service frequency. | Press Information Bureau Research Unit / Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs Official government brief 1,000 Kms of Metro: 3 rd Largest in the World Published: 2025-01-05 Publication checked: 2026-11-04 Value, period and coverage checked in publication |
| Cities covered by metro network in the government brief | 23 cities Historical reference | Status published 5 January 2025 India; metro cities counted in the same brief | City coverage, not coverage of every neighbourhood. Limitations: Does not quantify station access, ridership, interchange quality or accessibility. | Press Information Bureau Research Unit / Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs Official government brief 1,000 Kms of Metro: 3 rd Largest in the World Published: 2025-01-05 Publication checked: 2026-11-04 Value, period and coverage checked in publication |
| Door-to-door travel time | Not established Data required — not zero | Reporting period: Information Required Population and geography: Information Required | Proposed measure; no observed value is established here. Limitations: Define the measure, unit, reporting period and covered population; obtain a traceable dataset and review its suitability for this topic before using a number. | Source organisation: Information Required Direct source URL: not yet verified Source publication date: not established Verification status: Data required |
| Service frequency and reliability | Not established Data required — not zero | Reporting period: Information Required Population and geography: Information Required | Proposed measure; no observed value is established here. Limitations: Define the measure, unit, reporting period and covered population; obtain a traceable dataset and review its suitability for this topic before using a number. | Source organisation: Information Required Direct source URL: not yet verified Source publication date: not established Verification status: Data required |
| Fare burden | Not established Data required — not zero | Reporting period: Information Required Population and geography: Information Required | Proposed measure; no observed value is established here. Limitations: Define the measure, unit, reporting period and covered population; obtain a traceable dataset and review its suitability for this topic before using a number. | Source organisation: Information Required Direct source URL: not yet verified Source publication date: not established Verification status: Data required |
Different surveys, administrative records, estimates and reporting years are not interchangeable. No combined IFT score is calculated from these rows.
Evidence coverage and review log (CSV) · Structured evidence register (JSON)
Section 02
Problem
Describe the failed movement or safety outcome.
A costly line can underperform when access, feeder services, land use, interchange and operating economics are weak.
Record frequency, duration, variability, delay, fare or delivered cost, affected population or volume, injuries or loss, accessibility, environmental impact and the current service or standard.
Section 03
Root causes
Test demand, network, operations, behaviour, assets and governance.
Disconnected metro urban rail planning, operators and information
Use movement records, field observation, operator data and competing explanations before confirmation.
Infrastructure output is measured more often than door-to-door safety, time, affordability and reliability
Use movement records, field observation, operator data and competing explanations before confirmation.
Demand, alternatives, maintenance, workforce and local operating capacity are not tested together
Use movement records, field observation, operator data and competing explanations before confirmation.
A queue, missed journey, crash or delayed shipment may result from several interacting causes. Separate the immediate trigger from route design, capacity, schedules, maintenance, enforcement, fatigue, land use, transfer or information failures.
Section 04
Evidence
Build an auditable movement and decision record.
- Question Minimum evidence
- Where and when? Origin/destination, route, resolution, date, time and season
- Who or what moves? User group, trip purpose or commodity, volume and vulnerability
- What failed? Time, reliability, cost, access, safety, loss and standard
- Why? Demand, capacity, operation, asset, behaviour and competing causes
- What exists now? Mode, operator, schedule, fare, project, owner and condition
- Did action work? Comparable baseline, exposure, target, actual, cost and harm
Network length ≠ access. Vehicle count ≠ reliable service. Project completion ≠ shorter, safer or more affordable journey.
Section 05
How the parts work together
What must work as one chain.
Demand and long-term ridership
Define demand, capacity, timetable or flow, asset, operator, safety standard, maintenance, information, finance and accountability.
Bus and last-mile integration
Station accessibility
Operating and financial feasibility
Section 06
India-fit solutions
Compare operational, safety, pricing and infrastructure options.
Evaluate the full walk–feeder–rail–walk journey and compare lower-cost capacity alternatives first.
BOUNDED PILOT
Select one route, station, corridor or village connection; establish a comparable baseline, test the lowest-risk option and publish a time-bound result.
Pre-register baseline and comparison, exposed users, alternative modes or non-build options, full lifecycle cost, operating owner, accessibility and safety safeguards, measurement period and stop/redesign rule.
Section 07
Roadmap
Protect now, improve operations, then add proven capacity.
- 01 · 0–30 days
- Protect immediate hazards and verify route, users, operator and failure
02 · 30–90 days - Build movement baseline, root-cause tests and alternatives
03 · 3–12 months - Pilot the lowest-risk service, safety or flow intervention
04 · 1–3 years - Evaluate time, reliability, affordability, safety and maintenance
05 · 3–5 years - Integrate modes, terminals, data, skills and finance065+ years
- Scale deep infrastructure only after demand and lifecycle review
Section 08
How to measure improvement
Track what travellers, communities and supply chains experience.
Door-to-door travel time
Baseline → target → actual → confidence → decision
Service frequency and reliability
Baseline → target → actual → confidence → decision
Fare burden
Baseline → target → actual → confidence → decision
Accessible population
Baseline → target → actual → confidence → decision
Safety and user outcome
Baseline → target → actual → confidence → decision
Scale
Verified safer, faster or more reliable outcome with viable operation.
Modify
Partial gain but design, cost, inclusion, transfer or maintenance needs repair.
Stop
No credible net benefit, unacceptable harm, low use or a stronger alternative.
Section 09
Risks and protections
A faster system must not transfer danger, exclusion or cost.
- Protect pedestrians, children, disabled users, women and workers
- Prevent unsafe displacement and severance of communities or livelihoods
- Assess induced demand, pollution, noise, ecology and climate lifecycle
- Include drivers, conductors and logistics workers in safety design
- Publish procurement, subsidy, fare, contractor and operating assumptions
- Redact faces, number plates and sensitive exact locations in citizen reports