Punjab govt to provide free public transport during Basant festival

The Punjab government on Saturday announced it would provide free public transport facilities during the upcoming Basant festival as part of a special initiative with the Punjab Masstransit Authority (PMA) finalising its plan.

“As part of the Basant celebrations from February 6-8, free public transport facilities will be available in Lahore in accordance with the directions of CM Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif. This initiative aims to facilitate citizens, promote safe mobility, and ensure smooth movement across the city during the festive days,” the Punjab Masstransit Authority said in a statement.

The move follows the Punjab government’s decision to grant special permission for Basant celebrations from Feb 6 to 8, restricting the festival exclusively to Lahore under a comprehensive set of legal, administrative and safety measures aimed at preventing the fatalities that had earlier prompted its ban.

The statement added that from Feb 6-8, commuters will be able to travel free of charge on the Metro Bus Service, the Orange Line Metro Train, Speedo buses and electric buses across Lahore. The Orange Line Metro Train will offer free travel from Dera Gujran to Ali Town, benefiting around 270,000 passengers daily, authorities said.

A total of 64 metro buses will operate between Shahdara and Gajjumata, enabling approximately 150,000 passengers per day to travel without charge.

For Lahore’s feeder routes, 188 buses will operate across 21 routes, while under the Punjab Mass Transit Authority, 40 electric buses will provide free services on two routes in the city. Overall, around 600,000 passengers are expected to benefit from the free travel facility each day.

Meanwhile, Provincial Minister for Transport and Mass Transit Bilal Akbar Khan expressed satisfaction with the arrangements and said, “On Basant, citizens will be able to avail themselves of free travel facilities without any worry.”

Read More: Basant comes back, but not as before

After years of silence in Lahore’s winter skies, Basant is set to return, cautiously and tightly regulated, as the Punjab government prepares to revive a festival once synonymous with colour, rooftops and springtime renewal, yet long shadowed by tragedy and controversy.

Basant, traditionally observed on the fifth day of the month of Magh in late January or early February, marks the arrival of spring and has historically been celebrated across Punjab, including in India and among Punjabi diaspora communities, with kite flying at the heart of the festivities.

In Pakistan’s Punjab, however, the festival acquired a darker reputation during the early 2000s, as celebratory gunfire, glass-coated strings, metallic wires and rooftop accidents resulted in numerous deaths, prompting authorities to impose a blanket ban in 2007.

Also Read: Punjab prohibits kites with religious, political imagery ahead of Basant

This year’s revival follows the promulgation of the Punjab Kite Flying Ordinance 2025, which formally reopened the door for Basant while placing unprecedented restrictions on every aspect of the festival, from kite dimensions and string material to sound systems and rooftop access.

Under official notifications issued by the Lahore district administration on the instructions of CM Maryam, kite flying will be permitted only within Lahore’s district limits and only during the three designated days, with enforcement elsewhere in Punjab remaining absolute.

The rules impose a complete ban on nylon, plastic, chemical-coated and glass-coated strings, metallic wire and spools, permitting only cotton string wound into round ‘pinna’ forms, each carrying a QR code to ensure traceability and regulatory oversight.

Strict limits have also been placed on kite sizes, with ‘patang’ and ‘guda’ dimensions clearly defined, and violations punishable under the Punjab Regulation of Kite Flying Ordinance, carrying prison terms of up to five years and fines reaching Rs2 million.