Three people died after falling from a bridge under construction following guidance from Google Maps.

In Uttar Pradesh's Barielly district, India, three individuals driving according to Google Maps fell from an incomplete bridge and died in the accident. The victims, on their way from Gurgaon to Bareilly, were driving at night over a bridge under construction on the Ramganga River when they fell off the abruptly ended bridge. Local authorities have confirmed that the victims were using Google Maps until just before the accident based on mobile records.

The accident occurred late Saturday night in the Faridpur area of Bareilly district, Uttar Pradesh, India. Nitin Kumar (30), employed by a security company in Gurgaon, his cousin Ajit Kumar (35), and their relative Amit Kumar (30), chose to take the Buduan-Faridpur route instead of the Moradabad-Bareilly route due to a family gathering in Buduan on Saturday night. They were heading from Dataganj to Faridpur to attend a wedding scheduled for Sunday.
The discovery of the accident was delayed until Sunday morning. Residents of Karalpool village near the scene found the vehicle that had fallen under the incomplete bridge and immediately notified the authorities. In response, police teams from Faridpur and Dataganj rushed to the scene. Faridpur district police officer Ashutosh Shivam confirmed carrying out the body retrieval operation using a boat.
According to Faridpur Police Station Chief Rahul Singh, identity cards from the Gurgaon security company were found inside the car. The bridge where the accident occurred had lost its Faridpur side months ago due to flooding, and reconstruction by the UP Bridge Corporation had just begun. With limited visibility at night, the driver likely failed to see the missing part of the bridge, leading to the fall into the Ramganga River. Footage capturing the scene shows many onlookers peering down from the abruptly ended edge of the bridge, tens of feet above ground.
The bodies were transported for examination, and the families of each victim were informed of the tragedy. Nitin Kumar and Ajit Kumar were residents of Farkabad, while Amit Kumar resided in Mainpuri, with their identities confirmed following family verification. This tragic accident highlights two significant issues - the reliability of digital navigation systems and the lack of safety measures at construction sites.

Pramod Kumar, a relative of the victim, stated, "Despite driving while checking the route on Google Maps, the accident occurred when the vehicle fell from the unfinished bridge. The road should have been closed, and the map should have indicated that the bridge was incomplete." Faridpur's SDM (Sub-Divisional Magistrate) Gulab Singh explained, "The bridge was under construction by the UP State Bridge Corporation, and the approach road on the Budaun side was open," promising an investigation and action against those responsible.

Explaining the details of the fatal accident caused by Google Maps misguidance leading to a bridge plunge in India, highlighting the issues of digital navigation safety. Reflecting on the new challenges brought about by the disparity between technology and actual infrastructure.

November 26, 2024