Sale of kites, strings for Lahore Basant begins today

• Festival to be celebrated from Feb 6 to 8 after two decades.
• Kites, strings will be available only at registered sales points.
• Quick response teams set up in every tehsil for public safety.
  

LAHORE: The sale of kites and strings for Lahore Basant will officially kick off today (Sunday), as the city gears up for the long-awaited revival of the festival from February 6 to 8, the district administration said.

Punjab's capital is abuzz with colour and anticipation as it prepares to celebrate the festival after more than two decades.

According to officials, permission has so far been granted to 2,246 traders to sell kites and strings in the city, while a total of 2,504 applications were received for the sale of kite-flying materials.

The deputy commissioner said that registration on an online portal has been made mandatory for the manufacturing and sale of kites during the Basant season.

Kites and strings will only be available at officially registered sales points until February 8. Officials said 95 applications were rejected, while the registration of 163 traders is still under process.

Authorities reiterated that only registered traders are allowed to sell kites and strings, warning that strict action will be taken against violators.

The Lahore administration has warned that strict compliance with rules and regulations will be ensured throughout the Basant celebrations.

According to a notification, the production, trade and storage of kite-flying materials outside the approved framework have been declared illegal. Only kites of approved sizes will be allowed, while strings made of up to nine cotton threads will be permitted.

The use of spinning wheels, sharp strings, and nylon or plastic strings has been declared a criminal offence, the deputy commissioner said, adding that violators will face strict legal action.

To prevent accidents, motorcycle riders will be required to install iron safety rods during the Basant days, the official added, stressing that public safety remains the administration’s top priority.

The Lahore deputy commissioner has constituted quick response teams (QRTs) in every tehsil to ensure public safety, monitoring and emergency response during the Basant celebrations.

According to an official notification, each QRT will be headed by the assistant commissioner of the tehsil concerned and will include representatives from Rescue 1122, police Special Branch, health, education and other civic departments.

Further, the QRTs have been directed to monitor and supervise cleanliness activities and ensure the effective implementation of special cleanliness campaigns.

The QRTs have also been instructed to;

• Establish and supervise Basant awareness camps and create awareness among students and the citizenry on safety measures and preventive actions during the kite flying festival.
• Conduct meetings on daily basis, review arrangements and submit daily reports regarding safe Basant festival.
• Compile and maintain an updated phone directory of the heads of all departments and control rooms for effective coordination and communication.
• Remain vigilant and take immediate action to prevent, control, and report any untoward incident during Basant Festival 2026.
• Reach the site of occurrence promptly upon receipt of information.
• Coordinate with police for legal action under relevant laws, wherever required.
• Report all incidents and actions taken to the district Control Room and Lahore DC office without delay.
• Ensure no violations in respect of the Kite Flying Act, rules and regulations take place within respective jurisdictions.
• Perform any other duty assigned by the district administration in connection with the Basant Festival 2026.