India rival to Google Earth

nyraghu

I don't know whether ISRO can circumvent the restrictions. The restrictions actually seem to be imposed on the SoI by the Ministry of Defence, through Letter No. F-7(7)/64/D (GS III) of 25th August 1967. Barring a major change in the map policy, I guess the MoD would issue a similar letter to ISRO when the time comes. Some evidence pointing to that possibility is a news report in the Hindu, according to which, G. M. Nair, the Chairman of ISRO, said, "Though most of the information will be online, but precision data will be given to selected users only."

I guess so, but he said that he was returning to Srinagar on the same day, and that he knew people at UPCL who'd provide him the maps immediately. I assume that was some circumvention too :-)

Thanks very much, Dilliwala. Yes, from what you'd told me about the DPMs in your PM, I knew that they'd be of limited use for trekking, but I wanted them anyway because they mark several villages.

Raghu.

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steven_ber

I can't wait to read the thousands of pages of 'higher resolution not permitted for security reasons'.

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Dilliwala

Pure BS. The map sales staff do NOT have the authority to restrict sales like this. The only thing that's banned is taking them out of the country.
Go there and tell them authoritatively that you checked from SOI Dehradun that there's no restriction (I've regularly seen foreigners buying in Dehradun and Delhi). Otherwise go up the ladder. Think of it this way - you'll be doing a favour to the next foreigner that goes there.

In any case whenever you go north you may like to spend some time in their shop in Delhi, if all else fails.
Warning: As you've gathered by now, there's ALWAYS some map or other out of stock.


They cudn't care less as it's not their problem, as Raghu has indicated.


EDIT:
The 'Garhwal' district map (a.k.a. Pauri Garhwal) will not be sufficient.
There are no DPMs for Chamoli/Rudraprayag or Nainital, which wud hamper your reading of Corbett if you relied solely on DPMs.
You cud pick up the 'Trekking Series' maps, specifically 'Badri Kedar' and 'Kumaon' - they will give you a reasonable idea of the lay of the land.

artisticanurag

I am yet to understand how having something similar to Google map is related to keeping a eye on corruption ? Will this thing have the power/ RIGHT to zoom into our Mla's homes ? Does our Met department predict weather almost correctly ? why did we always hear news about the predictions to be totally untrue ? Did our technology ever predict the tectonic plate movement, will this new programme be one amongst those or will it be a revolution like Google earth ?

Here is a thread to discuss the "offtopic" perspective of economy

India rival to Google Earth(Is it needed?)

India rival to Google Earth(Is it needed)

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Dilliwala

anurag, did you join this site just to rant?
I have yet to see a thread about material/factual stuff in which you have not ranted, sometimes on a tangent to the main subject. I understand youthful exuberance, but just to let you know that the ranting sections of this site are Chai and Chat, Scams and Annoyances, and better still, Masala Chai and Chat.

As to your assertions, I will address only one -
Firstly, weather is forecast, not predicted. Yes, the IMD forecasts are almost correct, mostly. For a "3rd-world" country, their technology and systems are some of the best (that dissemination is inadequate is another subject altogether). Btw, there is no met-forecasting system in the world that can forecast weather to a 100% certainty - witness the last hurricane forecast in early-Sep in the southern USA, which threatened to wipe out the state of Louisiana, but didn't (altho it did cause plenty of damage).

Tectonic plate movements? Oh boy, when did you last hear of a forecast for ANY earthquake ANYWHERE on the planet?
We are a LOOOOONG way off from solving that one.

crvlvr

I guess it must be easier to take satellite photos than to make maps that show one way streets accurately or have decent road signs.

trustindia

Could the thread title be, Indian ALTERNATIVE to Google Earth??

Dilliwala

What's wrong with rivalling Google?

Hal

Is it called Bobble? (as in head...)

DrHeckleAndMrSnide

The power depends on the technology and the restrictions imposed. The right to zoom into people's homes?? Unless they have no roofs, how do you think you plan to do that??

I was referring to INFRASTRUCTURE projects ... dams, bridges, mass housing etc... say, if someone has promised to relocate the population of a village to a different place due to an SEZ/Dam etc coming up there... there is at least a way for NGO activists to verify that the permanent shelter have been erected as per claims, without having to visit those places en masse .. assuming, of course, that the view isn't blocked by trees. But given the rate of deforestation, that seems like a valid assumption.

OK, let me give another, more practical example for you .... assuming that a real estate developer claims to have a project ... "In a prime location with beautiful surrounding and and well paved roads and .... " you can just verify the claims online without having to actually visit the locality .... for all you know, there might be an open drain flowing right next to the "prime property" .... you don't have to visit all such claimed "prime properties" to do the initial recce...
People are already doing that using Google Earth, you know. The extra resolution would help even more.

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Dilliwala

Good points, Heckle.

And one day this century the SOI will also wake up and realise that there really is no point to all those restrictions any more.

Nick-H

I think Google Earth images run as much as two years out of date. The image of my old London street has not changed in at least that long. Even if the Indian version starts with more recent material, it is unlikely to be updated anything like regularly --- or did I miss something? It'd be great if it were to be updated regularly, but that really does increase the National Security and Privacy worries.

livinhimalayas

I agree with you Nick. The images on GE for our area are dated 2005!
Agree with the security point of view too if the sat images are updated too regularly. But if they are not isn't it defeating the very purpose of it all?

Nick-H

Not really: the static details of many landscapes and even city streets don't change much in a few years.

If you wanted to check out my old street that I left in 2005, I don't think it will spoil the experience that you'll see my old car parked there, along with the car of a neighbour who moved out the previous year.

livinhimalayas

Fine for an area like yours but I would like to see my new house on GE and there is no way I can till they update the pics of my region. God knows when that will happen