Analysis of Bus Stop Infrastructure Using Deep Learning-Based Object Detection: A Case of Thrissur, Kerala, India
Research Article  ·  Published: 09 September 2026
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Sustainable Intelligent Infrastructure
Volume 2, Issue 2, 2026: 25-35
Research Article Open Access

Analysis of Bus Stop Infrastructure Using Deep Learning-Based Object Detection: A Case of Thrissur, Kerala, India

1 School of Architecture and Planning, Government Engineering College, Thrissur 680009, Kerala, India
* Corresponding Author: Govind Dev, [email protected]
Volume 2, Issue 2
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Article Information

Abstract

Bus transport forms the most critical and widely used component of the public road transportation system in India. Bus stops are therefore the most critical nodes connecting passengers to this system. Using a deep learning-based object detection model, this research provides a detailed analysis of the bus stop infrastructure in Thrissur, Kerala, India. The model is applied to a custom dataset of 400 field and Google Street View (GSV) images, and a comprehensive audit is conducted of 80 stops, benchmarking them against Indian road development standards. The findings reveal a large difference in time cost between the methods and demonstrate a highly reliable deep learning-based object detection system. In parallel, a `de facto' barrier is identified: a clear spatial inequality between the urban core and the periphery systematically excludes accessibility-dependent groups from safe and equitable access to public transport. Crucially, a `Modern but Inaccessible' paradox was observed: 100% of surveyed bus stops had roof shelters, yet only 2.5% complied with fundamental accessibility standards, a critical failure seen even in the newest structures. This study concludes that deep learning models such as YOLOv8 are among the most effective (recall of 75.3%, precision of 71.7%) and time-efficient (about 15 seconds to survey 80 bus stops after initial development) methods for large-scale urban infrastructural analysis.

Graphical Abstract

Analysis of Bus Stop Infrastructure Using Deep Learning-Based Object Detection: A Case of Thrissur, Kerala, India

Keywords

bus stop infrastructure deep learning object detection universal design urban transportation

Data Availability Statement

Data will be made available on request.

Funding

This work was supported without any funding.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

AI Use Statement

The authors declare that no generative AI was used in the preparation of this manuscript.

Ethical Approval and Consent to Participate

Not applicable.

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Cite This Article

APA Style
Manoj, A., & Dev, G. (2026). Analysis of Bus Stop Infrastructure Using Deep Learning-Based Object Detection: A Case of Thrissur, Kerala, India. Sustainable Intelligent Infrastructure, 2(2), 25-35. https://doi.org/10.62762/SII.2026.715987
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TY  - JOUR
AU  - Manoj, Arathy
AU  - Dev, Govind
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/09
TI  - Analysis of Bus Stop Infrastructure Using Deep Learning-Based Object Detection: A Case of Thrissur, Kerala, India
JO  - Sustainable Intelligent Infrastructure
T2  - Sustainable Intelligent Infrastructure
JF  - Sustainable Intelligent Infrastructure
VL  - 2
IS  - 2
SP  - 25
EP  - 35
DO  - 10.62762/SII.2026.715987
UR  - https://www.icck.org/article/abs/SII.2026.715987
KW  - bus stop infrastructure
KW  - deep learning
KW  - object detection
KW  - universal design
KW  - urban transportation
AB  - Bus transport forms the most critical and widely used component of the public road transportation system in India. Bus stops are therefore the most critical nodes connecting passengers to this system. Using a deep learning-based object detection model, this research provides a detailed analysis of the bus stop infrastructure in Thrissur, Kerala, India. The model is applied to a custom dataset of 400 field and Google Street View (GSV) images, and a comprehensive audit is conducted of 80 stops, benchmarking them against Indian road development standards. The findings reveal a large difference in time cost between the methods and demonstrate a highly reliable deep learning-based object detection system. In parallel, a `de facto' barrier is identified: a clear spatial inequality between the urban core and the periphery systematically excludes accessibility-dependent groups from safe and equitable access to public transport. Crucially, a `Modern but Inaccessible' paradox was observed: 100% of surveyed bus stops had roof shelters, yet only 2.5% complied with fundamental accessibility standards, a critical failure seen even in the newest structures. This study concludes that deep learning models such as YOLOv8 are among the most effective (recall of 75.3%, precision of 71.7%) and time-efficient (about 15 seconds to survey 80 bus stops after initial development) methods for large-scale urban infrastructural analysis.
SN  - 3067-8137
PB  - Institute of Central Computation and Knowledge
LA  - English
ER  - 
BibTeX Format
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@article{Manoj2026Analysis,
  author = {Arathy Manoj and Govind Dev},
  title = {Analysis of Bus Stop Infrastructure Using Deep Learning-Based Object Detection: A Case of Thrissur, Kerala, India},
  journal = {Sustainable Intelligent Infrastructure},
  year = {2026},
  volume = {2},
  number = {2},
  pages = {25-35},
  doi = {10.62762/SII.2026.715987},
  url = {https://www.icck.org/article/abs/SII.2026.715987},
  abstract = {Bus transport forms the most critical and widely used component of the public road transportation system in India. Bus stops are therefore the most critical nodes connecting passengers to this system. Using a deep learning-based object detection model, this research provides a detailed analysis of the bus stop infrastructure in Thrissur, Kerala, India. The model is applied to a custom dataset of 400 field and Google Street View (GSV) images, and a comprehensive audit is conducted of 80 stops, benchmarking them against Indian road development standards. The findings reveal a large difference in time cost between the methods and demonstrate a highly reliable deep learning-based object detection system. In parallel, a `de facto' barrier is identified: a clear spatial inequality between the urban core and the periphery systematically excludes accessibility-dependent groups from safe and equitable access to public transport. Crucially, a `Modern but Inaccessible' paradox was observed: 100\% of surveyed bus stops had roof shelters, yet only 2.5\% complied with fundamental accessibility standards, a critical failure seen even in the newest structures. This study concludes that deep learning models such as YOLOv8 are among the most effective (recall of 75.3\%, precision of 71.7\%) and time-efficient (about 15 seconds to survey 80 bus stops after initial development) methods for large-scale urban infrastructural analysis.},
  keywords = {bus stop infrastructure, deep learning, object detection, universal design, urban transportation},
  issn = {3067-8137},
  publisher = {Institute of Central Computation and Knowledge}
}

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