Chief Traffic Officer (CTO), Athar Waheed, said that more than 700,000 safety rods have been installed on motorcycles all over Lahore ahead of the Basant festival. The move is part of a wider safety plan to reduce injuries caused by kite strings during the celebrations.
The traffic police chief said that installing the rods is necessary, and every citizen should follow the rules as directed by the government of Punjab. By keeping the safety of natives in mind, 100 safety camps have been set across the city. Many of these camps are offering free installation. He further said another 300,000 rods are being arranged to increase coverage in the coming days.
Large security deployment
A large number of officers will be on duty during the festival period. Athar Waheed said that around 2500 traffic wardens and about 10000 police officers will be deployed at key locations. Special teams will patrol inner city routes, and motorcycles without safety rods may be stopped from entering certain areas.
The campaign, known as Safe Basant, is being led by traffic police with support from the district administration. The aim is to allow celebrations while lowering the risk of serious accidents on the roads.
To improve monitoring, police are using thermal imaging drones to watch different parts of the city during the day and at night. The Traffic police head claimed that these cameras will help them quickly spot and respond to any unauthorised kite flying. Police response teams will be on standby to act if violations are reported.
FIR registered
While taking action against violating safety rules for Basant 2026, two first information reports (FIRs) have been registered in the areas of Gulberg and Naseerabad police stations at Lahore. Two motorcyclists were booked for failing to install safety rods. Both cases were filed under Section 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) for violation of official orders of the government.
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