Motorcyclists urged to use free public transport

CM stresses responsible citizenship in Basant celebration

LAHORE:

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif thanked the citizens of Lahore for their enthusiasm and cooperation as three-day Basant celebrations began on Friday after a gap of 25 years.

In a message, she urged the people to celebrate the festival responsibly and remarked, "It is not just kites but happiness that is flying across Lahore."

The chief minister said Basant was an integral part of Punjab's cultural heritage and stressed the need to take pride in local traditions while demonstrating responsible citizenship during the festival.

She appealed to citizens to prioritise public transport instead of motorcycles, noting that 419 buses would remain available free of charge on all routes throughout the three days.

She announced that over 60,000 free rides would be provided to the public during Basant. The Orange Line Metro Train would offer free travel to 25 seat passengers on each trip, while Metro, feeder and green buses would also operate free of charge. In addition, rides on 6,000 online ride hailing rickshaws would be free during the festival.

The chief minister emphasised strict compliance with safety measures, urging citizens to use only standard-sized kites and approved strings. She warned that the use of prohibited kite string could result in heavy fines and long-term imprisonment. The use of metal wire, sharp string, bulletproof material and spools for kite flying has been declared illegal.

She stated that kite flying would not be allowed in civil aviation areas of Lahore, while the installation of safety rods on motorcycles and motorbike rickshaws was mandatory.

The CM said comprehensive arrangements had been made to ensure public safety during Basant, including the deployment of quick response teams comprising 15 departments in every tehsil.

She advised citizens to take extra precautions while flying kites on open rooftops and to secure them with nylon ropes where parapets were absent.

She added that kite flying would not be permitted on rooftops lacking proper safety arrangements. Thermal drone surveillance would continue throughout the festival, while police, traffic wardens, district administration and other departments would remain on duty to facilitate the citizens.