[Gypsian]

How as the government addressed security concerns? Is it not a threat to the security, atleast to a small degree? Moreover IMHO this was not the need of the hour. An India specific GPS must be developed.

[raksrules]

In Mumbai, I can see street view in a small lane about 200 meters from my home but not our area. Hoping that happens soon as well. This is very cool and very much needed.

Also, hope we get high resolution satellite images of our country as well.

[SoumenD]

Wasn’t this already available? I remember checking out some areas around Bangalore on street view already by dropping that orange kid(seen on google maps) on a street. Is this the same thing or something else? Not sure if I am missing something here?

[TheHelix0202]

Originally Posted by SoumenD

Wasn’t this already available? I remember checking out some areas around Bangalore on street view already by dropping that orange kid(seen on google maps) on a street. Is this the same thing or something else? Not sure if I am missing something here?

Look at one of the posts above. It clearly states that the feature was removed citing security reasons, but now it’s back.

[KumarS]

Street View was available in the country using photos and videos with geo-tagging uploaded by Android users. You can see the copywrite warning and the owner's name and date. It says Google 2022 if Google is providing street view. Because of the abundance of photos and videos being uploaded now, thanks to smartphones, Street View was present on a few roads, highways,*and tourist attractions.

Security concerns are indeed there. I could see Ejipura Bangalore's military area compound, vehicles parked, security guards and gate clearly. No filtering has been applied here. This is just an example. Maybe this area is not that sensitive.

Also, if someone is scouting an area for some wrongdoing, with numerous CCTV cameras installed now, it will be easy to investigate. And the government will certainly maintain the CCTV footage for a longer period than shops or home owners.

If you had luck and captured it in street view, it would be a great candid picture. I could see some nice captures of bikes being ridden on the ring road along with a street camera van.

BTW, this can also help to collect the fines, traffic violations are clearly visible. One hand bike ride, on call while riding, no helmet to name a few. Even though number plates are hidden, govt offices can ask for details.

[DudeWithaFiat]

Wow. Had a trip down the memory lane navigating through AECS Layout, Bangalore where we had stayed for 2 years in 2014-2016. But I remember streets that were much neater....

[kosjam]

Originally Posted by Gypsian

How as the government addressed security concerns? Is it not a threat to the security, atleast to a small degree? Moreover IMHO this was not the need of the hour. An India specific GPS must be developed.

I wouldn't say there is a threat to security per se, after all, it is on street level, anybody can do a reconnaissance trip if they actually want to commit a crime. Even with CCTV cameras, I doubt a random person inside a car or a bus can be effectively tracked.

Regarding the India specific GPS, that already exists for the past 2-3 years. Its called NAVIC, and some newer mobile phones do carry the NAVIC chips for using satellite positioning. (Cannot call it GPS, that is US owned)
Details in the following link:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian...tellite_System

[RedTerrano]

Out of curiosity, I checked for Pune. Apparently it is available in some places here as well!

How to check?
Visit google maps for your city.
In the layers at bottom right, activate street view.
All places with blue/green lines like this indicate street view.

[marsbhp]

This is seems to available for certain localities in Chennai too. My locality (Kamakoti Nagar) in Pallikaranai has Street View enabled but I could not find it enabled when I looked at where my brother stays in Mylapore. I guess they will be increasing the coverage gradually.

The resolution is quite good. My apartment building needs a fresh coat of paint badly .

Cheers,
Ram

[shadow59]

This is exciting! It helps me check for places that don't exist or are misplaced without needing to go there, and also helps me look for landmarks in other cities without needing to listen to Google's annoying mispronounciations during navigation so many times.


Street View coverage. Covering Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad.

Coverage in Bangalore. Even goes across the border to Hosur.

Fake Nexa showroom.

[dust-n-bones]

For those concerned with security: it must be an incredibly lazy villain who relies on 3+ month old street views for their adventures.
Specially on the ever changing, ever crumbling public roads of our dear republic.

Street view has been live since more than a decade now in numerous countries (from secretive ones like Saudi Arabia to more sensitive ones like Israel). Is a great tool for tourists and locals alike to plan and visit virtually - Look at Colosseum in Rome as an example.

In addition, Street View promises to give drivers speed limit data, and planners information about congestion, traffic light switchover planning, road conditions. This is also base data for companies who want to invest in autonomous technologies. Read more here.

[Poitive]

Originally Posted by am1m

How does this make it any easier?...

One could list out a series of points, but doing so would only be encouraging misuse of the system, so I shall refrain, except for the small and fairly obvious part below:
Please consider the viability and scale of study possible for any crime - not just burglary but much worse. We have had things from sporadic incidents to 26/11 and more. It is not only about committing the crime, but also about escape from the crime and the study around that, as it is about the support structure, planning of various people involved playing their roles etc. Street View, IMO, would be a significant fecilitator in such operations.

I guess the government would have had security concerns for not giving a direct clearance. Going through domestic players seems like a system being circumvented - something corporates are often good at, in a world which is increasingly competitive, and one where digital assets are becoming valuable for all kinds of purposes, from business to security to societal influence (I don't see Street view to play a role in societal influence though). Those who have a keen interest in politics and also in history would probably relate well to this.

Much gets passed in the name of technical progress and popularity with the populace. IMO, the upside does not commensurate with the downside in this case.

Will avoid taking this point further for the reasons aforementioned, mate.

~~~~~
Edit:

Originally Posted by KumarS

...Security concerns are indeed there. I could see Ejipura Bangalore's military area compound, vehicles parked, security guards and gate clearly. No filtering has been applied here. This is just an example. Maybe this area is not that sensitive.

Also, if someone is scouting an area for some wrongdoing, with numerous CCTV cameras installed now, it will be easy to investigate. And the government will certainly maintain the CCTV footage for a longer period than shops or home owners....

Thanks for bringing up these good points, mate.

Further, it could be argued that even Google Maps is a facilitator, however that does have a huge upside too; for street view, I doubt so.

[dust-n-bones]

Originally Posted by Poitive

Further, it could be argued that even Google Maps is a facilitator, however that does have a huge upside too; for street view, I doubt so.

The upside for a convenience or technology becomes apparent only when we give people time with it - its simply too soon to judge Street View in India.
What we should avoid is speculation about the upside or downside with no data to go with.


On the facilitator role: there is now years worth of data from many countries, none of whom seem to be complaining about this angle. Why should we consider ourselves to be uniquely at risk from new technology?

[Poitive]

Originally Posted by dust-n-bones

1. The upside for a convenience or technology becomes apparent only when we give people time with it - its simply too soon to judge Street View in India.

2. What we should avoid is speculation about the upside or downside with no data to go with.

3. On the facilitator role: there is now years worth of data from many countries, none of whom seem to be complaining about this angle. Why should we consider ourselves to be uniquely at risk from new technology?

Mate,

1. True, but as you say it has been around in other countries for long. I am not doubting it being useful. Our perception of the likely use and it's cost is different and it is fine for it to be so

2. Unless proven, most views on such matters are speculative in nature - including a whole lot of automotive content on upcoming cars on the forum. I don't think it is purposeless.

3. Each country has a different threat perception and different readiness to deal with it; and the means chosen too differ. We were amongst the first few countries to have such stringent security for our airports - preventing entry of non-travelers into the airport building; and were we amongst the first few to scan cars entering premises like star hotels and malls. One country's decisions needn't form the basis for another's actions - the US prevented people from certain regions to enter their country only a few years ago!

I don't think the security topic merits much discussion beyond this, as it would not be prudent to detail out how such stuff can be misused on a public platform, which quite limits meaningful discussion. I also think it is okay for different people to hold different views on the matter.

[am1m]

Originally Posted by dust-n-bones

On the facilitator role: there is now years worth of data from many countries, none of whom seem to be complaining about this angle.

Was curious, so checked some other cities, and looks like Tel Aviv has street view enabled. Naturally I'm not a geo-political security expert, but I'm wondering if the security situation in my Bangalore neighborhood is riskier than in Israel! (Naturally the actual facts (whatever they are) can't be discussed on a forum- security! )

Anyway, serious or imagined security loopholes aside, question for the forum- what are the uses of street view? It's an interesting thing to play around with. I guess some value for tourism. But apart from that can't think of any advantage it offers over normal Google maps. Any thoughts?