Lucknow, May 21 -- Over the past few decades, the city's hospitality sector has seen a boom. While hotels are thriving, their unchecked growth didn't come without a cost.

While the official records put the number of establishments in the hospitality business in the city at 2,600, only 93 hotels, guest houses and restaurants possess a valid fire no-objection certificate (NOC), the state fire department's records say.

How these hotels are allowed to function without the required clearances remains a glaring question-one that reflects a serious lapse in regulation and enforcement.

The highest concentration of these unregulated hotels is located in Charbagh, Arya Nagar, Moti Nagar, Pandariba, Naka Hindola, Hussainganj and Lal Kuan. On this...