The number of CNG-powered boats in Varanasi will rise to 2000, oil minister Hardeep Puri said. Boatmen in Varanasi are also experimenting with battery-powered boats.
As many as 580 boats run on compressed natural gas (CNG) in the Ganga river in Varanasi as Gail has laid city gas infrastructure in the city.
The number of CNG-powered boats in Varanasi will rise to 2000, oil minister Hardeep Puri said, without giving a timeline.
Boats driven by CNG will help cut air pollution in the city while also increasing the income of boatmen, he added.
Boatmen in Varanasi are also experimenting with battery-powered boats.
India is working on increasing the consumption of natural gas in transport. It aims to raise the share of gas in the primary energy mix from 6.3 per cent now to 15 per cent by 2030.