Government rejects roll-out of Google's Street View service
The government of India has rejected a proposal from Google to introduce its Street View service in the country, Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Gangaram Ahir informed the Lok Sabha. Ahir said Google had submitted a proposal in 2015 to seek government's approval to roll-out its Street View service which allows 360-degree panoramic views of the streets and other sites. Here are the details.
Google's Street View proposal rejected over security concerns
Hansraj Ahir, in a written reply to a question said, "The government has not agreed to the proposal". While Ahir did not give a specific reason for their decision, there have been reports in the past saying the Defense Ministry had raised security concerns over the roll-out of the said service.
Google Street View in India
Google had launched its Street View service in Bengaluru in 2011. However, it was soon stopped after local authorities raised issues concerning security. Notably, in 2015, Google collaborated with the Archaeological Survey of India to bring 31 historical monuments and sites online under Street View. It offered panoramic views of the sites such as Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Mysore Palace, Thanjavur temple, amongst others.
About Google Street View
Google Street View, which offers 360-degree panoramic views of the streets and other sites, is a featured in Google Maps and Google Earth. Launched in 2007 in the US, the service is now present in more than 82 countries around the world.
