VARANASI, July 24 -- Five boats, converted into e-boats under the 'Electric Boat Conversion Pilot Project', started plying on the Ganga in Varanasi on Thursday.

The Varanasi Development Authority (VDA) in collaboration with GAIL (India) Limited, have launched the 'Electric Boat Conversion Pilot Project' under which five boats were converted into e-boats by fitting them with batteries.

The boats are equipped with GPS tracking to operate three round trips between Assi Ghat and Namo Ghat.

Mayor Ashok Kumar Tiwari inaugurated the first five converted electric boats on Thursday and dedicated them to the boatmen at Namo Ghat.

The mayor stated that the operating cost of electric boats would be up to 80% lower than that of traditional boats, ...