New URL for the node overrides the URL of existing node using pathauto module I'm using Pathauto module to set the URL for the nodes in my site. I have already created about 20,000 nodes in my site. Usually, the Pathauto module doesn't allow to the users to create the node with existing URL by giving the error as &quot;Path already in use&quot;. But in my case, I can change the URL of a node with an existing URL of a node. For example parks located in same country,

Gandhiji Park - /gandhiji-park (located in state1)

Gandhiji Park - /gandhiji-park-0 (located in state2)
I can change the URL of the park in state2 as /gandhiji-park and the node is saved in that URL.


If I search for gandhiji park in state2 the search filters out the park but the URL took me to park in state1.
Can anyone help me in this?
I faced the same problem in my website.
As you mentioned in your question :


  Usually, the Pathauto module doesn't allow to the users to create the node with existing URL by giving the error as "Path already in use"


This is true only when you hand code the URL alias. If "Generate automatic URL alias" box is checked then similar URL's are appended with numbers at the end (like in your case). 

The method I used to prevent this problem was to install a module called Unique field which makes sure the no 2 nodes have the same title(and thus unique URL for each node).

In your case, since the damage is already done, the best option for you is to change your title or url to something like /gandhiji-park-state-2

Suggestion :

This is just a suggestion for URL structure and SEO. A general rule of thumb that I follow when creating URL, is to rank the keywords in the URL. The highest ranked keyword should come at the end of the url. For example www.example.com/less-specific-keyword/more-specific-keyword. This way you can rank higher in search engines for the same content and also users can get an idea about your content just by looking at the url. 
For example, in your site you can structure the URL like this www.example.com/state/park/park-name.