Maryam Nawaz urges public to celebrate Basant safely

LESCO staff on high alert for festival; engineers at 132kV grid stations, while 111 helpline to remain active

LAHORE:

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has thanked citizens for their enthusiastic response to Basant festival and appealed people to strictly follow safety measures during the celebration.

In an official statement issued from the Chief Minister's Office, she said the permission for Basant was granted only in Lahore for a period from February 6 to 8, while kite flying remained banned in rest of the province. She added that the response to the Basant pilot project has exceeded expectations and possibility to allow celebration in other cities will be reviewed after assessing its success in Lahore.

Calling Basant a traditional festival of Punjab, the CM urged citizens to celebrate with joy while also ensuring their own safety and that of others. She said all departments had made concerted efforts to make Basant safe across the provincial capital.

Maryam announced that travel on 419 buses, metro bus services, the Orange Line train and 6,000 Yango rickshaws would be free during the festival. She said more than 700,000 motorcycles in Lahore had been fitted with safety rods for which free installation camps had been set up. She outlined kite specifications, stating that the size would be 35×30 inches and 40×34 inches, while only cotton string consisting of nine threads would be allowed.

Metallic wire, chemical string and other prohibited materials would invite strict legal action. She added that kites and strings could also be sourced from outside Lahore if required. The CM said kite flying would not be allowed in civil aviation areas and only registered manufacturers, sellers, traders and associations would be permitted to supply QR code–embedded kites and strings.

Read More: Historic Lahore rooftops booked for Basant

She added that thermal drone surveillance would be conducted across all areas, including at night, with real-time monitoring in place. She said the government did not want to punish people but enforcement of the law was necessary for public safety. She added that QR codes on every kite and spool would enable real-time tracking.

The CM said emergency arrangements have been finalised, including the deployment of ambulances, fire brigade vehicles and motorcycle rescue units, while assistant commissioners have been tasked to head quick response teams in every tehsil of Lahore.

She added that dangerous buildings had been surveyed and fitness certificates obtained. She said violations of the Punjab Regulation of Kite Flying Act and its rules could result in imprisonment ranging from five to seven years and fines of up to Rs5 million. Lahore has been divided into three zones, high-risk, yellow and green, with dedicated safety camps established in each zone.

Maryam said that Basant had boosted economic activity worth billions of rupees, benefiting kite manufacturers, restaurants and hotels. She said the festival was gaining international recognition and the government aimed to promote Punjab’s culture globally while ensuring a safe environment.

LESCO submits Basant safety plan to LHC

Meanwhile, the Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) submitted a 27-point plan to the Lahore High Court to ensure uninterrupted power supply and public safety during the Basant festival.

According to the report, a Central Control and Command Centre will be established at LESCO headquarters to address electricity-related complaints. In addition, a control room will be set up at the commissioner’s office to maintain close coordination with the provincial government. The control rooms will remain operational round the clock, with officials deputed in three shifts for constant monitoring.

LESCO has placed all operational and field staff on high alert for the Basant period.

For public safety, executive engineers will remain present at 132kV grid stations, while the complaint number 111 will remain fully operational across Lahore. For immediate coordination, the contact numbers of all 136 XENs and SDOs have been shared with the relevant assistant commissioners. LESCO emphasised that infrastructure stability and public safety would be the top priorities.

The report stated that no staff member would remove kite strings from live lines without first switching off the power supply to prevent accidents. The utility informed the court that surveys had been conducted in high-risk areas, including Shah Alam Market, Liberty Market, Ichhra Bazaar, and Moon Market to remove damaged wiring. As part of preventive measures, 46 high-risk electricity poles were replaced in these areas.