LUCKNOW, Jan. 11 -- Even as the state capital remains under strict surveillance for traffic offences amid enforcement largely confined to the general public, violations and disorder caused by state operated transport buses are another factor in the chaos on the streets. This situation has arisen as side lanes outside bus depots have effectively turned into unofficial parking zones for inter-district buses operated by the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC). An on-spot inspection by Hindustan Times revealed that these violations occur daily, leading to long queues of vehicles and severe traffic congestion. The first spot check was conducted at Alambagh bus station. Buses returning from Ayodhya were found avoiding entry into the bus stand and, instead, deboarding passengers on the opposite side. During this process, some buses were parked alongside lanes, while others stopped in the middle of the road outside the bus stand, obstructing traffic flow. Umesh Kumar, an auto-rickshaw driver operating between Alambagh bus stand and Charbagh station, said the chaos is a daily affair. "It's not occasional; it happens every day. These buses wait on the road for passengers, causing traffic jams. Police officials sometimes intervene, but only temporarily. Once they leave, the same practice resumes," he said. Balwant Yadav, conductor of a UPSRTC bus, claimed that passenger boarding inside the depot is minimal. "Sometimes, we get a good number of passengers inside, but mostly they board from outside the stand," he said. He also added that buses do not stop for long outside. However, HT observed that the same bus remained parked on the side lane of the main road for over 10 minutes, clearly hampering traffic movement. Sultan Tiwari, driver of another UPSRTC bus, said, "If passengers board inside the depot, it's fine. Otherwise, we wait outside for passengers." This correspondent remained outside the Alambagh bus depot for over two hours. During this period, there was not a single moment without visible ruckus, congestion, and disorder. When questioned about the mismanagement, UPSRTC regional manager Rajesh Kumar Singh said, "We accept that there is a lot of congestion right now because more than 400 buses from Charbagh bus stand have been shifted to Alambagh as Charbagh is under construction. Managing such a large fleet has become difficult. This transfer was done on January 8." However, the correspondent noted that such conditions have existed not just for the past few days but for a long time. The next checkpoint was the Qaiserbagh bus stand, where conditions were found to be worse than Alambagh. Long queues of buses were seen parked outside the bus station, rather than inside, occupying road space and causing chaos. With space already constrained due to the nearby civil court, buses parked on roads and boarding passengers directly from the street resulted in complete traffic disorder. The DM's office is not more than 500 meters from this stand. Another bus driver Uma Nath Yadav said, "The stand has limited space, but the number of buses is very high. We are forced to park outside and pick up passengers." On condition of anonymity, another driver on the Lucknow-Azamgarh route said that over 400 buses operate from Qaiserbagh, around 200 of which belong to the Barabanki depot. "Especially buses from these depots avoid boarding and deboarding inside the stand. They park outside, fill passengers quickly in 10-15 minutes, and leave. They come inside the station only when they want a longer halt," he said. Balwant Singh, a UPSRTC driver on the Lucknow-Naimish route, said only buses designated with slots are allowed inside. He added that many buses are running empty on several routes. "There is no space inside the stand, yet new buses are being added to the fleet. This is a major reason for traffic jams around major bus stations like Qaiserbagh," he said. Contradicting this, another driver claimed that no such slot system exists. The final spot check was conducted at Awadh bus station near Kamta Chauraha, where a similar situation prevailed. Buses were seen parked outside the station, deboarding passengers near the gate. Security personnel and marshals were present near the exit gate, ensuring that buses did not halt immediately outside. However, the HT correspondent observed buses parked on the opposite side of Ayodhya Road and on the Shaheed Path side lane, waiting for passengers. Though the halts were shorter, they were sufficient to create long queues of vehicles. Rakesh Singh, assistant regional manager, at Awadh bus stand, said the chaos was partly due to the bus stand being constructed on the wrong side of the road. He also cited the increasing number of e-rickshaws in the area as a major contributor to traffic congestion. When questioned about buses parked outside the station, he said, "They might be stopping to deboard passengers." He added that drivers from other depots often engage in such practices. DCP Traffic Kamlesh Dixit said that review meetings are being held to address traffic congestion near bus terminals. "On Saturday, a meeting was held with UPSRTC officials, which was also attended by the district magistrate. Plans are being prepared to resolve the issue," he said. Responding to a query on action against UPSRTC buses for violating traffic rules, Dixit said that several buses have been issued challans. He added that to ease traffic congestion near the Qaiserbagh bus stand, a decision has been taken to shift the bus terminal to Jankipuram, and land for the new facility has already been finalised....