Google Maps Error and Unfinished Bridge With No Barricades or Signs Lead to Tragic Accident In UP’s Bareilly, 3 Dead

Highlights

• Three men died after their car plunged into the Ramganga River.
• The car was following an incorrect route shown by Google Maps.
• The bridge was damaged by floods in 2022 and had no barricades or warning signs.

Three men travelling to a wedding met with a tragic end when their hired taxi plunged into the Ramganga River from an unfinished bridge in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday.

The victims were reportedly relying on Google Maps to navigate the route from Gurugram to Bareilly.

However, the GPS led them onto an incomplete bridge over the Ramganga River, which had partially collapsed in 2022 due to a flood.

The mangled vehicle and the bodies of the three men were discovered by local authorities around 9:30 a.m. on Sunday.

The police identified two of the victims as Amit and Vivek from Imadpur in Farrukhabad, while the identity of the third remains unknown.

The incident occurred near Dataganj in Badaun district.

थाना फरीदपुर, बरेली क्षेत्रान्तर्गत निर्माणधीन पुल से एक कार के गिरने, जिसमें कार सवार 03 व्यक्तियो की मृत्यु हो जाने की सूचना पर की जा रही कार्यवाही के सम्बन्ध में क्षेत्राधिकारी फरीदपुर बरेली की बाइट।#UPPolice pic.twitter.com/phDGUsPPNz

— Bareilly Police (@bareillypolice) November 24, 2024

“At 9:30 am today, a damaged car was found on the river Ramganga. Police were informed and arrived at the spot. When the police arrived, they saw a Wagon R, which was possibly hired as a taxi, on the river. The car went to the incomplete bridge and fell into a river from there,” police said.

“The bodies were found and taken for post-mortem. The identities of two people, Amit and Vivek, were confirmed. More details on the identity of the third one are being worked on,” police added.

Relatives of the victims and social media users have criticised local officials for the lack of barricades or warning signs on the unfinished bridge. Many believe the tragedy could have been avoided with proper precautions.

Bareilly, UP: Kaushal, Vivek, and Amit attended a wedding and used Google Maps on their way back.

The map directed them to an incomplete bridge. The car sped ahead, fell down, and all three tragically lost their lives. [Amrit Vichar] pic.twitter.com/wjyB68q67j

— زماں (@Delhiite_) November 24, 2024

While some reports point fingers at Google Maps for misguiding the travellers, users online clarified that the alleged route does not appear on the app unless viewed in satellite mode.

If you search for “Bareilly bridge accident” on Google, you’ll find that most news channels blame the accident on Google Maps, with headlines like ‘3 killed after Google Maps led their car to an incomplete flyover in UP.’ However, few have the courage to hold the government… pic.twitter.com/nx0eyvZ0E1

— Prateek Singh (@Prateek34381357) November 24, 2024

Tragic incident in #Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh: A car driven by GPS guidance ended up on a half-built bridge, unseen due to thick fog, plunging into the Ramganga River. All three passengers lost their lives. #GoogleMaps #Bareilly #UttarPradesh #GPSError #RamgangaRiver #FatalAccident pic.twitter.com/jYm0eBFjj9

— Glint Insights Media (@GlintInsights) November 25, 2024

A half-built bridge … no warning signals, no red flags, no lights in the night … no barriers … cars can approach and drive straight through it till the end …

and Google Map is responsible for the deaths?#BareillyAccident pic.twitter.com/88PnAYeZil

— Sandeep Manudhane (@sandeep_PT) November 24, 2024

It is incorrect to blame #GPS or #GoogleMaps for the Bareilly accident.

A damaged / incomplete bridge should have been cordoned off for traffic with proper barricades & signages. Irrespective of what navigation tools are used by drivers or how dated they are, proper on-ground… pic.twitter.com/yL3OHTyLVL

— Raj Bhagat P #Mapper4Life (@rajbhagatt) November 25, 2024

Meanwhile, some conflicting reports also emerged online with some suggesting the victims were travelling from Bareilly to Dataganj rather than Gurugram.

Hindustan Times quoted a Circle Area Officer who confirmed that the bridge had been damaged earlier this year by flooding. Dense fog was also cited in some reports as a possible factor contributing to the accident.

This tragic incident highlights the pressing need for updated GPS data, improved infrastructure and proper warning systems to prevent such avoidable accidents.

FAQs

Q: What caused the tragic accident involving the three men in UP due to Google Maps?

Answer. The three men were misled by Google Maps onto an unfinished bridge over the Ramganga River, leading to their taxi plunging into the river. The bridge collapsed in 2022 due to floods and lacked barricades or warning signs.

Q2. Who is at fault for the accident in UP caused by Google Maps error?

Answer. Relatives of the victims and social media users criticized local officials for the lack of barricades or warning signs on the unfinished bridge suggesting the tragedy could have been avoided with proper precautions.

Q3. What factors contributed to the accident in UP caused by Google Maps error?

Answer. Conflicting reports suggest that dense fog may have contributed to the accident, and it was clarified that the alleged route does not appear on Google Maps unless viewed in satellite mode.

Read More: Google Maps Adopts New Version Number System for Android and iOS

Read More: Google Maps Adds New Features to Help You Plan for Holidays, Now Report Transit Delays, Avoid Low Bridges Easily & Shop with New Product Search