Preparations for the Basant festival are in full swing in Lahore as over 340 million kites have been sold so far amid strict measures imposed by the government to ensure public safety.

To ensure public safety and the city environment, authorities have finalised regulations regarding the size of kites, as well as the type and use of kite string during the festival.

According to sources, the maximum permitted size of a kite is 30 inches in length and 34 inches in width.

Only cotton thread will be allowed for kite-flying. For coating the string, the use of glue, plain colour, flour and low-grade glass is permitted.

The use of nylon or plastic strings has been completely banned.

Spools (reels) of kite-flying thread (manjha) are being sold for up to Rs350, Rs600 and Rs800, depending upon their size.

A single panna (spool of kite string) is currently priced between Rs10,000 and Rs12,000 and contains approximately 2,000 metres of thread (manjha).

The sources said that more than 340 million kites and reels have already been sold in the city.

To ensure public safety, protective safety rods have been installed on motorcycles to prevent injuries during Basant.

Action is being taken against motorcyclists who fail to install safety rods, with cases being registered under Section 188.

Meanwhile, all teaching hospitals across Punjab will remain open on February 6 and 7 during the Basant festival.

Emergency services, outpatient departments and inpatient facilities will remain fully operational, officials said.

Clean air for festival

Punjab’s senior minister, Marriyum Aurangzeb, has said that the provincial government has implemented several measures to ensure a clean environment during the Basant festival.

In a statement, Marriyum Aurangzeb said air quality in the city remains a concern, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 192 recorded.

She, however, said that scientific models, modern data, and technology have enabled progress in smog control.

Free public transport

Marriyum Aurangzeb said that from February 6 to 8, Lahore residents will have access to free public transport, including Metro Bus and Orange Line Metro Train, to encourage mass travel and reduce private vehicle use.

She appealed to citizens to use shared transport to minimise traffic congestion and air pollution.

The minister highlighted that artificial intelligence systems are being used to identify pollution hotspots, and drone surveillance is actively monitoring factories, brick kilns, and vehicles for compliance.

Drone surveillance, rooftop inspections

To ensure public safety during the festival, drones will inspect rooftops across the city.

Lahore Commissioner Maryam Khan emphasised that registration of all rooftops where kite-flying is planned is mandatory.

Presiding over a meeting, she said that quick response teams will verify no-objection certificates (NOCs) for each location, with zero-tolerance enforcement for violations.

In line with the approved Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), kite flying will be permitted only on registered rooftops, and NOCs will be required for gatherings exceeding specified limits.

Awareness campaigns on Basant rules are also underway in educational institutions, she added.

Registration of sale points has been completed across the city, including the Red Zone, with over 2,276 sellers issued NOCs to date.

Construction sites secured

In a meeting chaired by Provincial Minister for Housing and Urban Development Bilal Yasin, all ongoing project sites in Lahore have been declared no-go zones to ensure a safe Basant.

The meeting was told that only authorised personnel will have access, and all sites will be fully covered with safety barriers and equipped with emergency lighting and safety boards in high-risk areas.

Directives have been issued to stop work on the ongoing projects to safeguard citizens.

Instructions have also been issued to the TEPA chief engineer to complete the road repair work from Bhati Chowk to Mohni Road within two days and submit site reports for the Data Darbar expansion project.

Bilal Yasin informed the meeting that protecting human life is the government’s top priority, adding that safety measures in high-risk areas must be strictly enforced.