LAHORE: The city district administration announced that registration for manufacturers of kites and other material for Basant 2027 will start with a view to ensuring timely and tight regulation and the safe conduct of the festival from March 12 to 14 next year.
“The registration of kite manufacturers is all set to start from Sept 5. And those interested are required to register themselves at the dedicated Basant-2027 portal,” an official source in the Lahore administration told Dawn when contacted.
He said, for now, registration would be only for manufacturers, as those seeking registration as kite sellers, traders and associations would be asked to register in January or February.
“The date for their registration will be announced at a later stage,” he said, adding that the objective behind opening registration for manufacturers was to ensure the availability of sufficient kites and material well before the festival for people at affordable rates.
The move comes months after Lahore hosted Basant in February this year following an 18-year hiatus, with the provincial government allowing kite flying under a tightly regulated framework intended to prevent deaths and injuries caused by string.
Lahore Deputy Commissioner retired Capt Muhammad Ali Ijaz said the administration would require manufacturers of kites and related material to obtain a no-objection certificate (NOC) before starting production for the festival.
He said registration through the Basant portal would be mandatory for manufacturers, while production sites would be subject to monitoring and inspection.
The system, according to him, is aimed at preventing the manufacture and sale of prohibited kite-flying material and ensuring that only approved products reach the market.
In a message posted on X, the Lahore DC said only kites of approved sizes and cotton string would be permitted for Safe Basant 2027. The administration would adopt a zero-tolerance approach towards chemical-coated string and metallic wire, he said.
The administration also said that the traditional form of kite flying would be allowed only within the safety parameters laid down by the authorities. The permitted string, commonly known as pinna, and cotton thread would have to comply with the prescribed specifications, while manufacturers would be required to secure clearance before commencing production. Special teams of the district administration are expected to inspect the manufacturing facilities and monitor the production process to ensure that prohibited material is not made or supplied.
The registration exercise is significant because the government’s revival of Basant in Lahore this year represented a cautious return of a festival that had long been associated with the city’s cultural identity but had also become controversial because of fatal accidents involving kite string.
It merits mentioning that Basant returned to Lahore from Feb 6 to 8 this year after the Punjab government lifted the longstanding prohibition on kite flying and permitted a limited festival under the Punjab Regulation of Kite Flying Act, 2025. The decision followed the passage of legislation by the Punjab Assembly in December 2025.
At the time, the government made it clear that the revival would initially be confined to Lahore alone. Officials described the Lahore event as a pilot exercise whose success could influence future decisions on the festival. The return of Basant was, therefore, accompanied by an extensive regulatory regime.
The authorities divided Lahore into risk zones, deployed police and district administration teams and planned round-the-clock surveillance through Safe City cameras and drones. Road-safety measures, rooftop monitoring and coordination with Rescue 1122 and the power utility were also included in the security plan submitted to the Lahore High Court.
The administration had begun registering businesses several weeks before this year’s festival. By early January, hundreds of kite manufacturers, sellers and traders had applied for registration with the Lahore district administration.
Police preparations included inspections of rooftops, special monitoring teams and restrictions on motorcycle movement without safety rods.
Building owners hosting kite-flying activities were required to comply with capacity and safety requirements, while the authorities warned against aerial firing, display of weapons and other violations during the festival.
Against this backdrop, the decision to open registration for Basant 2027 as early as September signals an attempt to give the administration more time to scrutinise manufacturers and establish a traceable supply chain before kite flying resumes. - The Dawn/ANN
