Land use accessibility, connectivity, and service quality nexus: Evidence from Kolkata metro

Transit-oriented development (TOD) promotes sustainable urban mobility by integrating land use and transport planning with multimodal transit systems. This study examines how TOD components, specifically land use accessibility and multimodal connectivity, shape metro Quality of Service (QoS) perceptions using structural equation modeling in the Kolkata Metropolitan Area. Confirmatory factor analysis validated the latent constructs of land use accessibility, multimodal connectivity, and QoS. The structural model revealed that land use accessibility has a strong positive impact on multimodal connectivity, which in turn enhances QoS perception. However, the direct effect of land use accessibility on QoS was not significant, indicating full mediation. The findings suggest that built-environment improvements enhance QoS perceptions only when supported by seamless first- and last-mile multimodal integration. This study provides empirical evidence for integrating TOD principles into metro planning by aligning station-area land use with multimodal integration, particularly in rapidly urbanizing Indian cities and similar global contexts.