In spite of running into losses worth over crores every month, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport (NMMT) on Friday launched 50 new buses and nine new routes — to integrate Mumbai with Thane. A good news for the commuters is that the transport agency has decided to keep the fare unaffected.

Procurement of the new fleet of buses is part of the acquisition of 195 vehicles, which the NMMT will obtain under the central government’s Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM-2) scheme.

The chairperson of the transport body, Mukesh Gaikwad said, “Earlier, we had proposed to raise ticket rates due to profound losses we suffered every month. But we decided against it, as we don’t want to burden the passengers. There won’t be any hike for now.”

Of this 50-strong fleet of new buses, four will be ACs and link Navi Mumbai to Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Andheri Lokhandwala complex, Borivli and Thane. While the new non-AC routes are announced in areas like MIDC, Kopargoan, Koparkhairne, Nahur, Nerul and Juinagar.

Earlier in May, the transport body had proposed to hike fare by Rs 2 to Rs 4 for regular buses and Rs 5 to Rs 10 for AC buses. The decision was revoked after the NMMT started suffering a loss of about Rs 2 crore every month.

Officials belonging to the city transport corporation revealed that all the 195 new buses would join the NMMT fleet by the end of this year, of which 50 will be Volvo buses, 80 standard buses and 65 mini buses.