Web desk: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has urged citizens to strictly follow safety rules as Basant returns to Lahore from February 6 to 8 after an 18-year ban. The Punjab government has confirmed the festival will be held only in Lahore and nowhere else in the province.
The government will organize and sponsor Basant for the first time. Maryam Nawaz said strict enforcement is necessary as past negligence caused serious injuries and deaths, adding that a detailed safety plan has been prepared and will be shared with the public.
Authorities have divided Lahore into high, medium and low risk zones and imposed strict regulations. Only cotton kite strings with up to nine threads will be allowed, while nylon, metal coated strings and spools have been banned.
Violators may face prison sentences of one to five years and fines of up to Rs5 million. Flying kites before the official start of Basant is also punishable, and guardians will be held responsible if minors break the rules.
The government has registered kite manufacturers and traders through more than 2,000 geo tagged registrations. Police have registered over 600 cases, seized more than 27,000 kites and obtained thousands of surety bonds.
To protect road users, traffic police will distribute over one million safety rods to motorcyclists free of cost. Free public transport, including metro buses, the Orange Line, electric buses and rickshaw rides, will operate during the festival, while more than 4,000 police officers and emergency teams remain on high alert.
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