MapKathmandu

Creating a better, accessible and efficient online map of Kathmandu Valley

adyota.org

What is "MapKathmandu?"

● Initiative to make a detailed online map of Kathmandu Valley

● Make the map free to use● Use crowdsourcing to speed up data upload● Create a community of active mappers

Who are we?

● Group of graduate students and young professionals who want to see change in Nepal

● 3 based in the U.S., 2 in Europe and 1 in Nepal

● Diverse background from mapping and engineering to journalism and management

Why map Kathmandu?

● Disaster relief and medical emergency● Easy navigation● Enable businesses to deliver services and

products easily● Enable innovation in location based mobile

apps and services

How does the current map of Kathmandu look like?

Zooming into Baneshwor

Saw the problems?

● Many streets are not traced yet● Names of most of the streets are missing● Many other items of interest are missing● Not very usable, same with Google maps

Is there a solution? YES!

● Low budget, no politics● Crowd effort● Community of active OSM contributors● Youth who want to make a difference

Why is it the right time?

● Active and growing OSM Nepal community● Support from universities and media● Earthquake awareness● Smartphone revolution, faster internet● Youths want to solve problems themselves

Opportunity to build a critical mass of active contributors

How we can help?

● Map the city with the help of interns and volunteers at Adyota

● Provide training on OSM● Form a community of active mappers● Support with funding● Run projects with universities and other

youth groups to make direct impact○ Part of the curriculum/course○ Competition based projects○ Extracurricular credits

What we will map?● Roads:

○ All roads that are accessible by car and bus-stops○ GPS traces of narrower roads and their names when possible

● Buildings and landmarks:○ Hospitals, clinics, blood banks, pharmacies○ Schools, Government offices, Ward offices○ Banks, large businesses, ATMs, tourist landmarks

○ Bridges, temples, chowks, bahal○ Public toilets, garbage containers, major public open spaces,

named intersections, roundabouts

Mailing List: talk-np@lists.openstreetmap.org

http://openstreetmap.orghttp://osm.org

Why?

(sub-question: why not google maps?)

For us:

Same as why

(maps, like encyclopedia articles, are awesome information, lets have a free world-editable version!)

Mapping data is not free

Mistakes cannot be corrected

(these are first-world examples;

Nepal has its own set of

delicious ones)

Off-line possibilities

Apps! (both use and write...)

OpenStreetMap is Volunteered Geographic Information: the harnessing of tools to create, assemble, and disseminate geographic data provided voluntarily by individuals.Goodchild, M.F. (2007). "Citizens as sensors: the world of volunteered geography". GeoJournal 69 (4): 211–221

Open DataThe one GIS data platform to rule them all (?)

UN

ICIMOD

SURVEY Dept.

VDC

खानेपानी सं था

सडक बभाग

Who else?

Re-use & reprint (legally)

What?(ie, what exactly are we talking about?)

(http://openstreetmap.org)

- nodes- ways- tags- relations (only advanced)

How?

(how to add data to OSM?)

GPS tracks

Imagery!

Local Knowledge

Data sources

UNNepal govt.?

ICIMOD

Who else?

(Challenge: Licensing)

OpenStreetMap editing tools

Potlatch – Flash-based web editor

OpenStreetMap editing tools

JOSM – Java-based desktop editor

We can do it!

Case Study: Haiti

Possibilities?Haiti before the earthquake

Haiti within 24 hrs of the earthquake

Haiti in the following days

Useful links:

http://openstreetmap.org – OSM sitehttp://wiki.openstreetmap.org – OSM wikihttp://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Beginners%27_Guide – Beginner's Guide

http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Map_Features - Map Features Tagging Guidehttp://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/talk-np - OSM Nepal mailing list

http://opengeodata.org – Blagh.

(Search slideshare for openstreetmap – tons of presentations and new ideas!)

Questions?

Further Information

● Project Website: www.adyota.org● Community Website: www.osmnepal.org● Facebook Group: OSM Nepal / Map

Kathmandu● OSM tutorial: learnosm.org

● Contact in Nepal:○ Bimal Maharjan○ Project email: info@adyota.org

Conclusion

Let's create a better, accessible and efficient online map of Kathmandu Valley

Thank You.