Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has introduced an automatic car wash system for cleaning buses. The first automatic bus washing unit is now operational on a trial basis at the Pappanamcode depot in Thiruvananthapuram.

Buses from the central depot travelling longer routes will be washed. The initial plan was to wash the vehicles at the central depot itself. However, the project was relocated to Pappanamcode due to insufficient water supply at the central depot. The project, which has been in the works for over a year and a half, is now becoming a reality.

The new automated system is designed to clean buses in just three minutes. However, it only washes the sides of the bus, with the front, back, and interior still requiring manual cleaning by bus employees.

How it works
The system consists of water-spraying nozzles and polythene brushes attached to two poles that move parallel to both sides of the bus. The poles move from the front to the rear of the bus. The bus is washed after moving through the system twice. Employees are required to wipe off the water after the cleaning process. There is also a built-in shampoo-washing feature.

The machine, installed by a company from Uttar Pradesh, is set to be officially inaugurated soon. The cost of one system is Rs 15 lakh.