New Delhi, January 9: The government will launch an airboat service from Varanasi to Prayagraj for the Kumbh Mela from January 26, Road Transport and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari said Wednesday.

"This is a technology by the Russian government. The airboat will have an engine of a vehicle and carry 16 people in one go. It can cruise up to 80 kilometers per hour and requires a depth of only 10 centimeters," Gadkari said while addressing a workshop of municipal commissioners on solid waste management in Ganga towns. "The service will begin from January 26," he added. Reliance JioPhone to Provide Information Services During Kumbh Mela 2019.

The Kumbh Mela will begin in Prayagraj on January 15, 2019. The minister also suggested that various civic body officials should use bio fuels for their vehicles to lead with an example.