Indo-Pak border: Even Google Maps knows not to cross the line

Google Maps tells user to travel an extra 5,000 kilometres if they want to go from Naya Nangal to Lahore


Web Desk June 22, 2015

Traditional rivals Pakistan and India have shared icy relations and fought several wars ever since gaining independence – and the rift between the two nations is now documented on Google Maps.

On a recent trip to Naya Nangal in Indian Punjab, UK resident Aman looked up ‘nearby towns’ on Google Maps and was shown Lahore in Pakistan’s Punjab.

However, Aman was surprised to see that Lahore wasn’t as close after all when he sought directions.

Read: Pakistan guns for peace amid Indian tirade

Although Google Maps showed that Aman was just 211 kilometres away from Lahore, the most efficient driving route suggested by it was 5,277 kilometres long and would take him four days and 12 hours.

“In case you are curious, the madness of the sub-continent visually,” Aman said, on his Facebook account as he shared Google’s results.



Though Pakistan and India share a border and Lahore, in particular, is very close to Naya Nangal even closer than Karachi is to Lahore and New Delhi is to Chandigarh, transport between the countries is restricted.

In light of this, instead of travelling a short and sweet distance to nearby Lahore, as per Google’s route, Aman would have to travel east across Uttar Pradesh and take a left at Nepal. After scaling the highest mountain range in the world, the UK resident would then have to drive across Tibet to Xinjiang in China.

Read: Verbal duel ceases for now as Modi calls Nawaz

But it doesn’t end there. In Xinjiang, Aman would have to take a U-turn to enter Azad Jammu and Kashmir and then drive down into Punjab and finally Lahore.

What could have been otherwise a simple drive or a really long walk has been made tougher by the two countries.

This article originally appeared on Scroll.in.

COMMENTS (17)

commonman | 8 years ago | Reply I think..fighting these many years, we hv forgotten to love each other. We shud not forget that before partition, we wr united and bcz of few selfish people, partition happened...neither the people of India nor the people of Pak wanted this partition...and don't want to fight each other even after the partition...so be wise, don't fight and live peacefully...amen!!
cautious | 8 years ago | Reply Here's a "heads up" - nobody outside of India, Kashmir, or Pakistan give a hoot about Kashmir ... thanks to India/Pakistan. I have no doubt that if both India and Pakistan minded their own business then Kashmir would be doing just fine.
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