Panaji: Tourism minister Manohar Azgaonkar, and Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) chairperson Dayanand Sopte, launched electric bikes, or e-bikes, touted to be the first of their kind in the country, at an event in Panaji, on Friday.The initiative, which is a collaboration with Acris Tours Pvt Ltd, is perceived to be a significant step towards sustainable tourism, one that will also provide visitors with a new way of exploring Goa.Conceptualised by the electric vehicle tourism platform B:Live, the e-bikes are equipped with state-of-the-art features like GPS trackers, battery-powered motors that can reach speeds of up to 25kmph, and electronic disc brakes for enhanced safety. They can presently be hired for tours of Panaji, Divar and Old Goa.“What makes B:Live unique is the smart use of technology. The http://blive.co.in platform allows guests to seamlessly book tours by making digital payments. A web app provides real-time tour-related data to the riders,” chief operating officer and co-founder of Acris Tours, Sandeep Mukherjee, said.Capable of covering a distance of 50km on a single charge, the e-bikes also have digital display screens. “Our command centre monitors the riders through the GPS trackers embedded on the bikes. This makes B:Live not only the cleanest, but also the smartest tour option in the country,” Mukherjee said, even as he exuded confidence that more tours would be added to their existing list by the end of next year.Acris Tours has also tied up with charters and other tour operators to introduce the service to visitors.“Through B:Live, we aim to encourage people to adopt a cleaner way of commute while helping them discover authentic local experiences,” CEO and co-founder of Acris Tours, Samarth Kholkar, said.

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