Visualizing Trains: How do the 4 metro cities connect India?

IDC, IIT Bombay, 2014
Area Mobility Medium Information Visualization Type Research

Using a small open data set ? as well as an interactive medium ? this project aims at providing a visually rich experience of the connections built by the massive Indian railways network. In the process of doing so, not only highlight the vast coverage of the system, but also bring to attention potential areas for expansion, while emphasizing on the skewed form of the country being formed by mass migration to metros.

In recent years, there?s been a constant shift of people from villages and smaller towns to major cities. This distress migration to the urban India means a large part of the country is being forgotten & slowly getting disconnected from the rest of us. The project thus reminds one through these rail routes, the connections that still exist and the areas no longer in direct connection with major cities. Focusing on the four metros ? Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata ? the animated visualization reverses this migration by highlighting routes from the metros to the rest of the country.

The final form lets the observer make his/her own conclusions about which parts of the country are still not connected directly with the metros, and whether to applaud or critique the extent of the Indian Railway network.

Links

Authors

  • Sharma, Rasagy Information Design Lab, IDC, IIT Bombay
  • Rajamanickam, Venkatesh Information Design Lab, IDC, IIT Bombay

Project Partner

National Institute of Design, Bangalore Gramener (Data Source)