14 DAY TRIAL // Google Maps is currently the world’s number one mapping service and is being accessed by billions of users every day, but as far as the Indian government is concerned, this solution is unreliable and unapproved.
India's mapping and survey organization Survey of India (SoI) explained at a recent event that the Indian government considers Google Maps to be an unapproved and not authenticated service which officials themselves do not use, though they admitted that Google’s solution could be good for users looking for points of interests.
Surveyor General of India Swarna Subba Rao questions Google Maps’ accuracy, pointing out that those who are looking for high accuracy are recommended to stick with the Survey of India maps.
“If you talk about the authentication, the Google Maps is not authenticated. It hasn't been produced by the government, so they aren't authenticated,” Rao was quoted as saying by the Business Standard. “If you are using Google Maps to reach a restaurant or park, even if you reach 50 meters close to that place, you are happy. But when we have to put a new railway line or make canals, that is where our topographic maps come in, when you require very accurate, engineering quality data.”
More control over Google Maps
India also seems to be looking into ways to get more control over Google Maps and the information that the service provides to users, with a Survey of India official telling the aforementioned source that the government “doesn’t have any restrictions or control over applications like Google Earth or Maps.”
Google, on the other hand, is struggling to meet government requirements in the region, especially after the company has been dragged into controversy regarding the borders of some countries, including Cambodia and India.
After being criticized for inaccurate information, Google decided to launch two different versions of Google Maps, one for each country, thus displaying the requested border details that come in line with government demands.