Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has become the first transport corporation in India to achieve complete digitalisation, Transport Minister K B Ganesh Kumar said on Thursday. He was speaking after inaugurating eight major KSRTC projects at the corporation’s headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram.

The projects launched include the Integrated Command and Control Centre, an AI-based scheduling system, the Pilgrimage Tourism Project, the Rolling Ads advertising module, the Vehicle Emission Testing Centre, the Happy Long Life Free Travel Card, Gift boxes for children on long-distance buses, and free cancer screening for women employees.

Ganesh Kumar said KSRTC has made significant technological advancements, integrating all its systems into a single AI-driven digital dashboard. The new platform consolidates operations such as accounting, courier management, spare parts procurement, reordering, distribution, budget tourism, and estate rent collection. The software was specifically developed for KSRTC, with technical support from the Digital University and the Kerala Startup Mission, he noted.

The minister also flagged off the Pilgrimage Tourism Project under KSRTC’s Budget Tourism Cell, which will connect major pilgrimage centres across Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the first phase. Advertising partners empanelled with KSRTC will receive a 10 per cent commission for marketing advertisements.

KSRTC will soon open vehicle emission-testing centres accessible to the public, with the first one already operational at Vikas Bhavan, Thiruvananthapuram. More centres and driving schools will follow across the state. The corporation has also procured Volvo sleeper buses, becoming the first transport corporation in India to do so, the minister said.

Children on long-distance services will receive gift boxes containing crayons, drawing books, balloons, and tissue paper. KSRTC also plans to introduce light meal services on long routes and entrust bus cleaning operations to Kudumbashree units.

A free cancer screening programme for women employees, led by oncologist Dr Gangadharan, will soon be launched. The next phase aims to fund cancer treatment for employees through CSR contributions. Ganesh Kumar praised KSRTC employees for their dedication, which, he said, has driven the corporation’s transformation and success.