LAHORE: As many as 1,413 sale points for kite, string and related material have been approved so far whereas the process to register the kite flying-related businesses is underway.

According to Lahore city district administration, teams have been mobilised to ensure safe and peaceful three-day Basant, starting from Feb 6. The field monitoring and the registration process have been accelerated to ensure protection of human lives under supervision of the assistant commissioners who are also closely monitoring the manufacturing process of strings and kites. The registration of 870 kites/string material manufacturers has so far been completed. Besides, the registration of 15 kite flying associations and 258 traders has also been approved.

“In the light of the special instructions, only cotton string is allowed to be sold whereas the manufacturing of metallic string material and kites exceeding fixed sizes is strictly prohibited,” said Lahore DC Capt (retired) Muhammad Ali Ijaz in a statement on Monday.

According to the code of conduct, the sizes for a ‘1.5 Tawa Gudda’ (width 40 inches, length 34 inches) and a ‘4.5 Guddi Kite’ (width 35 inches, length 30 inches) have been fixed, and manufacturing or flying sizes larger than these will not be permitted at all.

According to the schedule, kite-flying material can only be prepared until Jan 31, while the transportation of equipment will be allowed from Feb 1 to Feb 8. However, bringing equipment from outside the limits of Lahore district has been declared prohibited.

The DC urged motorcyclists to immediately install safety rods to protect their precious lives as citizen safety is the top responsibility of the district administration. He added that district teams were in the field at all times to prevent deadly kite strings and ensure the implementation of standard operating procedures (SOPs).

Published in Dawn, January 27th, 2026