Lahore residents will enjoy free rides on public transportation from February 6 to 8 as the Punjab government revives the Basant festival after a 17-year ban. It’s a bold move, signaling a return to tradition—but with significantly tighter controls than before.
Free Rides and a Festival Reborn: Lahore Prepares for Basant
After years of being grounded, Lahore’s skies are set to fill with kites as the city cautiously welcomes back the Basant festival, accompanied by free public transport for all.
- The Punjab government will offer free rides on all public transport in Lahore—Metro Bus Service, Orange Line Metro Train, Speedo buses, and electric buses—from February 6-8.
- Approximately 600,000 passengers are expected to utilize the free transport each day.
- The revival of Basant follows the enactment of the Punjab Kite Flying Ordinance 2025, imposing strict regulations on kite materials and flying practices.
- Kite flying is restricted to Lahore’s district limits during the three-day festival.
Q: Will Basant be the same as it once was? A: Not quite. While the festival is returning, it’s under strict new rules designed to prevent the tragedies that led to its ban, including restrictions on kite string and flying locations.
Provincial Minister for Transport and Mass Transit Bilal Akbar Khan expressed satisfaction with the arrangements, stating, “On Basant, citizens will be able to avail themselves of free travel facilities without any worry.” The initiative, directed by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, aims to facilitate safe mobility during the festivities.
The Punjab Masstransit Authority (PMA) announced the free transport plan on January 28, 2026, via social media. The Orange Line Metro Train will provide free service from Dera Gujran to Ali Town, accommodating around 270,000 passengers daily. A fleet of 64 metro buses will operate between Shahdara and Gajjumata, serving approximately 150,000 passengers per day without charge.
Additionally, 188 buses will operate on 21 feeder routes throughout Lahore, and 40 electric buses will offer free services on two routes under the PMA. Basant, traditionally celebrated on the fifth day of the month of Magh in late January or early February, marks the arrival of spring and has long been a cultural touchstone across the Punjab region.
However, the festival’s history in Pakistan’s Punjab has been marred by tragedy. During the early 2000s, celebratory gunfire, dangerous kite strings coated in glass, and rooftop accidents led to numerous fatalities, ultimately resulting in a blanket ban in 2007.
This year’s revival is governed by the Punjab Kite Flying Ordinance 2025, which places unprecedented restrictions on all aspects of the festival. Kite flying is permitted only within Lahore’s district limits from February 6 to 8, with strict enforcement elsewhere in the province. The ordinance prohibits nylon, plastic, chemical-coated, and glass-coated strings, allowing only cotton string wound into round ‘pinna’ forms, each marked with a QR code for traceability.
Kite sizes are also regulated, with specific dimensions defined for ‘patang’ and ‘guda’ kites. Violations of the ordinance can result in prison terms of up to five years and fines reaching Rs2 million.
As part of the Basant celebrations from 𝟔𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝟖𝐭𝐡 𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲, 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐋𝐚𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐌 𝐏𝐮𝐧𝐣𝐚𝐛… pic.twitter.com/ozWIdHDhbb
— Punjab Masstransit Authority (@Masstransit_PMA) January 28, 2026
