Motorcyclists in Lahore will be fined from February 1 for riding without safety rods, Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Bilal Siddique Kamyana announced on Wednesday.
The announcement was made during a ceremony at Town Hall, held to launch the installation of safety rods and a public awareness campaign under the “Safe Basant” initiative. The event was jointly organized with Lahore Commissioner Maryam Khan and attended by senior officials, including Lahore CTO Dr. Athar Waheed, Deputy Commissioner (Retd) Capt. Ali Ijaz, and representatives from Rescue 1122, health, education, LDA, and PHA.
During the ceremony, safety rods were installed on motorcycles, and awareness pamphlets were distributed among citizens.
Zero Tolerance for Aerial Firing and Illegal Kite Flying
Addressing the gathering, CCPO Kamyana said the Basant Safety Plan aims to ensure the protection of life and property. Under this initiative, one million motorcycles will be fitted with safety rods free of cost.
He reiterated a zero-tolerance policy for aerial firing, warning that strict legal action would be taken against violators. He also stated that a special traffic management plan had been devised for the Basant festival.
Sharing enforcement details, the CCPO said that during the current month, police had registered 1,078 cases and arrested 1,115 individuals in operations against illegal kite flying. Authorities also seized over 40,000 illegal kites and 926 spools. He clarified that kite flying would be permitted only on February 6, 7, and 8, and strict action would be taken against violations on any other day.
He added that legal action would also be initiated against parents or guardians of children found involved in illegal kite flying.
Monitoring and Media Role
Round-the-clock monitoring will be carried out during Basant through special control rooms at the Safe City Authority and the commissioner’s office, using CCTV cameras and drones. The CCPO urged the media to play a responsible role in promoting safe celebrations from February 6 to 8.
100 Safety Camps Across Lahore
The district administration has set up 100 safety camps across the city under the “Safe Basant” campaign to install safety rods on motorcycles. Commissioner Maryam Khan, CCPO Kamyana, DC (Retd) Capt. Ali Ijaz, and CTO Dr. Athar Waheed visited the campaign sites on Wednesday to review progress.
Speaking on the occasion, Commissioner Maryam Khan said a special safety campaign had been launched, particularly for bikers. She said free safety wires and rods were being installed at 100 camps across Lahore, including Town Hall.
She emphasized that during the three-day Basant, no motorcycle would be allowed on Lahore roads without safety rods. Under the Kite Flying Ordinance 2025, installing safety wires or rods on motorcycles is mandatory.
The commissioner further clarified that the “Safe Basant” festival will be held only within Lahore district from February 6 to 8. Kite flying is not allowed before February 6, while the sale of kites and strings will be permitted only from February 1 to 8.
She added that kite manufacturing would also be allowed only within Lahore district, and only registered manufacturers, traders, and sellers would be permitted to operate. Strict action would be taken against any violations.
Appealing to the public, Commissioner Khan said the administration was taking all possible steps to ensure a safe Basant, including providing free safety rod installation and free ride services during the festival days. She urged citizens to cooperate and play their role in ensuring safety.
The Lahore Deputy Commissioner also appealed to citizens to get free safety rods installed from the designated safety rod camps across the city.
