Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Monday announced a detailed safety and management plan for the Basant festival in Lahore, focusing on public safety and traffic control.
The decisions were shared during a review meeting on Basant arrangements. The chief minister said all departments have been put on alert and a citywide traffic plan has been finalised.
Basant will be celebrated in Lahore from February 6 to 8. The government has decided to provide free safety wires to one million motorcycles to reduce the risk of injuries caused by kite strings.
Authorities have already registered 621 cases related to illegal kite flying. Officials said strict action will be taken against violations involving banned strings and oversized kites.
The use of charkhi and metallic kite strings has been completely banned. Violators may face heavy fines and prison sentences of up to five years.
Motorcycles without safety rods will not be allowed to enter designated red zones during the festival.
Limits have also been placed on kite sizes. Kites larger than 35 inches and gudda exceeding 40 inches will not be allowed. Flying kites before the official Basant days may result in fines of up to Rs2 million.
For traffic management, around 100 traffic police camps will be set up across Lahore. Free public transport will also be available, with 500 buses and rickshaws operating on 24 routes.
Two control rooms will monitor the situation using drones, CCTV cameras, and the Safe City system.
Officials said the aim is to allow people to enjoy Basant while keeping the city safe and orderly.
