Lucknow’s illegal driving schools: Untrained instructors, unregulated fees, no safe guardrails
Illegal driving schools operating without valid permissions have come under intense scrutiny in Lucknow as the transport department, coordinating with Uttar Pradesh Police, widens its crackdown against unauthorised training centres across the city. Officials have seized three vehicles allegedly used for unauthorised driver training in nearly a month. Transport department cracks down on unauthorised training centres operating without valid permissions and commercial vehicles (Sourced) In the latest case, Asheesh Kumar Gupta, who holds only a learner’s driving licence issued December 30, 2025, was allegedly training people to drive in a private vehicle without proper commercial registration or departmental permissions. Even after his vehicle was seized, Gupta allegedly continued offering driving lessons. When contacted by this publication posing as a prospective student, he denied any action had been taken against him, demanding ₹4,000 for a 15-day course. He reportedly claimed an additional ₹5,000 could “arrange” a driving licence as well. “Whenever we receive information or find someone illegally operating a driving training centre, action is taken immediately,” said Alok Yadav, ARTO enforcement officer, Lucknow. Officials noted …



