LUCKNOW, Jan. 15 -- Six of eight AC double-decker electric buses, worth nearly Rs.12 crore, remain parked at the Barabanki bus station-cum-workshop for months due to the absence of a functional charging station. Flagged off by chief minister Yogi Adityanath last year, the buses were intended to boost intercity connectivity from Lucknow, but only two are currently running on the Lucknow-Ayodhya route, highlighting execution delays and coordination gaps between the departments. Under the first phase of the project, the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) planned to procure 20 double-decker electric buses. While tenders were issued and the first bus was inaugurated in 2025, the remaining six have remained idle at the Barabanki depot, reflecting a failure by officials to ensure proper deployment and operational readiness. AK Awasthi, station in-charge of the Barabanki bus station-cum-workshop, said Rs.2.36 crore was transferred to the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) on September 17, 2025, for establishing the electricity connection needed for the charging station. "Even after the payment was made months ago, the power connection has not been provided. The charging machines have been lying packed here for over six months," Awasthi said. He added that the buses cannot be operated without a working charging facility and that the existing Viraj Khand charging station is already running at full capacity. Originally, the buses were launched to run on multiple intercity routes. A senior official, speaking on condition of anonymity, clarified that the bus currently being used for the "Lucknow Darshan" service is a newly procured vehicle and is not among the double-decker buses parked at the Barabanki depot. Regional Manager UPSRTC RK Tripathi confirmed that only two buses are operational and are being charged at the Viraj Khand station. Occasionally, the buses are taken to a power station near Gomti Nagar for charging, he said. Tripathi also noted that the double-decker buses were designed for intra-city use. "They have limited speed, which increases travel time on longer routes such as Lucknow-Ayodhya. Operating them on intercity routes is challenging," he said, adding that passenger footfall on the route remains low. Barabanki executive engineer Shubhash Chandra said the delay is due to the pending finalisation of the tender process for installing the charging infrastructure. "Funds have been received, but negotiations with installers are still ongoing," he said....