Google has quietly launched its Street View app in India, which gives users glimpses of Indian streets.

While the world’s largest online search company is yet to get clearance from the Home Ministry to launch its cars and bikes fitted with cameras to collect imagery of Indian streets, Google is currently trying to provide the same experience with user-generated content.

Google’s new Street View app now lets anyone see thousands of locations in India by integrating user-generated Photo Sphere and popular sites, for which the company partnered with Archeological Survey of India.

360-degree pictures In September, Google launched its Street View app globally to let people explore collections of 360-degree panorama photos of locations (both interior and exterior), and make their own contributions to public photo galleries.

The app also lets users snap 360-degree ‘spherical’ photos directly from their Android phone or iPhone. They can then geotag the images and upload them directly to Google Maps. Other users can then view those images when they tap on a map location within the app.

To avoid coming under government scrutiny, the Street View website in India shows only historical sites, for which Google has permission from the government. However, using their mobile app, one can search even for specific non-touristy areas such as Lajpat Nagar in New Delhi to Chembur in Mumbai.

BusinessLine previously reported that Google is expected to get Home Ministry approval to officially film Indian streets and upload the images on Street View.

The service was all set to launch back in 2011 when a BJP MLA B N Vijayakumar from Bengaluru raised objections, terming it a serious security threat to the IT industry and establishments such as ISRO and HAL.

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