The government has refused Google's proposal to launch its "Street View" service in India, Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Gangaram Ahir said on Tuesday.
Ahir informed the Lok Sabha that Google had submitted a proposal on Street View for the government's permission in July 2015, which allows users to explore places around the world through 360-degree panoramic street level imagery and view public areas.
It helps tourists familiarise themselves with locations before visiting them, making it easier to navigate otherwise unfamiliar places.
"The government did not agree to the proposal," the Minister said.
Ahir was replying to a written question asked by Balasubramaniam Senguttuvan, a member from Vellore in Tamil Nadu.
Internet giant Google launched its Street View service in Bengaluru in 2011 to collect street-level imagery but was soon asked by local authorities to stop the service citing security reasons.
Revived again in 2015, Google tied up with the Archaeological Survey of India to bring 31 historical monuments and sites online and offer panoramic views to the consumer.
Since then it has been in talks with the Centre to see how the service can be launched in compliance with local regulations.
Google wanted to expand it in India and use the app to capture Indian cities, hills and rivers in 3D.
A Quint report states that while the government said no to Google’s proposal for Street View, possible for security and privacy reasons, there are other similar apps in India such as Wonobo.com that have mapped some of the cities.
Google Street View is present in more than 82 countries around the world, which have benefited from it in terms of tourism and other aspects.
Introduced in 2007 in the US, Street View uses specially equipped bikes and cars fitted with cameras to collect 360-degree images which the user is then able to see in a panoramic view with street-level 3D imagery and stitches it together. It has since expanded to include cities and rural areas worldwide.
(With IANS inputs)