India, Nov. 12 -- LUCKNOW Even after the deadly blast near Delhi's Red Fort that claimed multiple lives and triggered nationwide security alerts, major public transit hubs in Lucknow, including railway stations and bus terminals, appeared ill-prepared to prevent or respond to any untoward incident despite the city being put on high alert after the Delhi incident.

A ground check by Team HT on Wednesday revealed negligence by security personnel at many high-footfall public locations, raising serious questions about the preparedness of local authorities to tackle any potential threat.

During the inspection between 12:40 pm and 2 pm, the team found that at most locations, security devices like X-ray baggage scanners and metal detectors were...