In June, a Basant rehearsal will take place in Lahore.
With a final pronouncement anticipated soon, the Punjab government has started making serious preparations to host a safe and controlled Basant festival in Lahore the next year.
Sources claim that a crucial review conference was just held in Lahore to go over the safety precautions, legality, and logistics of the eagerly anticipated kite-flying festival.
Key authorities, including Walled City Lahore Authority DG Kamran Lashari, Lahore CCPO Siddique Kamyana, Lahore Commissioner Zaid Bin Maqsood, and Kite Flying Association members, attended the meeting, which was called by PML-N Patron-in-Chief Nawaz Sharif.
According to sources, Basant is provisionally planned for February of next year, and the necessary arrangements are being made to make sure it can be held in a way that is safe, legal, and culturally vibrant. Following stakeholder consultation and the resolution of all legal obstacles, the Punjab government is anticipated to make a final decision.
Samples of thread and kite were sent to the PCSIR Laboratory for testing in an effort to put public safety first. Only strings that meet the safety requirements of the lab will be permitted to be produced and sold. In order to test the twines, kites, and crowd control techniques in a controlled setting, a rehearsal event is planned for June.
Gardens and a walled city are suggested as secure areas.
It has been suggested that designated gardens and inner-city areas be used as the official locations for Basant celebrations in order to reduce hazards and maintain the festival’s traditional essence. The strategy is to keep kite flying within safe bounds and steer clear of dangerous metropolitan areas.
Tight regulations and registrations
Kite and string vendors will need to register with the authorities in order to guarantee complete compliance. Additionally, for two days during the festival, motorbikes without safety rods will not be allowed. Although up to two and a half “tawa gaddas” (kite-flying spools) may be allowed, the usage of metal or glass-coated thread (Charkhi) will still be strictly forbidden.
A plan is being designed to draw in foreign visitors in an effort to market the event globally and establish Basant as a thriving cultural festival.
