The Telangana Road Transport Corporation, for the first time ever, began to disinfect and sanitise around 3,000 city buses on account of the coronavirus scare.

According to officials, sodium hypochlorite solution was used and several workers were pressed into service at different bus depots across the city for the sanitisation.

The TSRTC, officials said, is in no mood to take any chances and is ensuring that panic is not created on account of the anxiety over coronavirus. “Buses are usually cleaned with detergent. Since we never faced anything like coronivirus, we had to use this special solution,” a senior official said.

Touching upon whether there has been any decrease in occupancy due to the scare, officials confirmed that no such drop has been witnessed. On Thursday, staff of the MGBS gave away as many as 500 masks to passengers and another 60 to staff. Posters on preventive measures were also pasted on several places inside the bus station.

In an attempt to spread awareness about coronavirus, Transport Commissioner M.R.M. Rao pasted posters and handed out pamphlets to those entering Dr B.R. Ambedkar Transport Bhavan on Khairatabad Road.

Meanwhile, bus aggregator AbhiBus.com has offered to deliver masks to those who book tickets on their platform.

The aggregator will also provide hand sanitisers in partner bus services. Rohit Sharma, Chief Operating Officer, AbhiBus.com said that prevention is the best method for protection from the virus and that the company is actively working to spread awareness.