LUCKNOW, June 5 -- Hazratganj is the nerve centre of Uttar Pradesh. Within a few kilometres lie the offices from where the state is governed, residences of senior bureaucrats and ministers, key police establishments and the office of the chief fire officer-the first point of contact whenever a fire emergency is reported in the city. Security personnel, police officers and government officials crisscross these roads every day, making it one of the most monitored and visible parts of Lucknow.

Yet, hidden in plain sight amid this corridor of power is another reality. Coaching institutes packed into commercial buildings, restaurants operating from basements, hotels tucked inside narrow lanes and markets crowded with shoppers continue to func...