Srinagar to adopt Google Maps

Shahnawaz Khan

Srinagar, March 07, 2008:

Mapping Srinagar

Taking the advantage of latest technology, the Srinagar Municipal Corporation has begun to map the city with the aid of Google Maps. The corporation is using satellite images downloaded from Google to take a realistic survey and mapping of the city.

The field workers, using satellite images as the bases, are these days busy identifying and marking these images, that the city mayor says will become part of official documents.

The sattelite images are matched with ground positions, and marked after identification.

"This will give an actual idea of the way, the city has grown, its population, localities and even heritage sites," Srinagar Mayor Abdul Rashid told Kashmir Newz.

The innovative idea, Rashid says after giving the corporation an actual assessment of all the localities in the city, will help plan the required facilities.

"After this survey, we can see and plan as to where we need any facilities and amenities and where the connectivity is needed to be enhanced," Pandit said.

So far the manual mapping of the city was far behind the actual position. The roads and localities which on papers were perfect are troublesome on ground.

"We have had master plans that were not implemented. The roads, localities are different from what they are on papers, but now we will have the real status."

The real position will help identify the real problems.

"We are currently disposing off 400 metric tonnes of garbage everyday. We need to see where it all comes from," Pandit said.

Experts say the mapping will have many advantages, and in future may help the corporation to check illegal constructions. The city has also been facing problems to preserve its heritage.

Last year New York based World Monuments Fund (WMF) included Srinagar in the watch list of 100 most endangered sites across the world for 2008.

The list is intended to call international attention to the challenges and threats facing cultural heritage sites.

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