As many as 100 electric-powered AC buses will be inducted into the Thane municipal transport fleet by April under the 'PM e-Bus Service' scheme, Shiv Sena MP from Thane, Naresh Mhaske, informed on Wednesday.

Mhaske, who is also a member of the Standing Committee in the Urban Development and Housing department, which is chaired by Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, said the centre has approved 100 environmentally friendly air-conditioned electric buses for the Thane transport fleet. Of these, 60 would be 9m long and the rest 12m long. The public transport body, presently with around 350-400 buses in its fleet, is falling short of catering to the increasing volume of passengers.

"The 100 AC e-powered buses will greatly help reduce pollution in Thane. I have also requested additional buses be provided for Thane's transport body and increased subsidies for the financially weak transport undertaking," said Mhaske, who also sought the upgradation and modernisation of bus depots.

The Thane MP also sought modification in norms for seeking subsidies for transport bodies like Thane and urged the committee to consider expanding the benefit of the sops to other financially weaker civic bodies across the country.

"I have requested the centre to increase its subsidy from the existing INR 24/kilometre to INR 29/km to assist in reducing the financial burden on the TMT that is battling the challenges post-Covid. I have also proposed reducing the minimum distance from 200 km to 160 km for being eligible for the subsidy, expressing confidence that these modifications would prove beneficial to the commuters," he said.