BANGALORE, INDIA: Google today announced the launch of Google Map Maker (http://mapmaker.google.com) in India. A global product conceived and developed by the Indian engineering team, Google Map Maker allows users to add or edit features, such as roads, businesses, parks, schools, apartment buildings, localities and more. With Google Map Maker tools, users can add detailed information about these locations and this user- created geographical content is updated and made visible immediately to all other users.

Understanding that people know their neighborhoods best, Google Map Maker empowers this user- expertise to improve the breadth and depth of available mapping data. The product also introduces peer moderation allowing users to review the data their peers have entered to ensure map quality and accuracy.

"Google Map Maker solves an inherent need especially for countries such as ours where maps data is sparse. This product embodies our passion to empower people everywhere, to share knowledge of the places they know best by creating maps," says Dr. Lalitesh Katragadda,  Software Engineer and Creator of Google Map Maker. 

"This is a great achievement for our engineering team. India is a challenging market, but one that has inspired us to really focus on creating technology that addresses real issues around local content and usability" said Dr. Prasad Ram, Head of Google R&D. "This launch is the reinforcement of our commitment to bring more useful information to people around the world and especially in hyper-growth countries like India where maps are changing on a daily basis given the rapid pace of infrastructure development," he added.

This mapping product is particularly relevant for a country like India, with its vast territory, varying geographies, and language and cultural diversity. For example, Google Map Maker can help bolster commerce by enabling people to map local businesses from their regions. Similarly, NGOs can benefit from it by effectively mapping challenging belts in the rural and sub-urban areas.

Other than India, Google Map Maker is available in 57 countries in Asia, the Island Nations, and the Caribbean.