Basant 2027: not a single kite licence issued two weeks on
The decision to allow kite and string manufacturing six months ahead of Basant 2027 has yet to produce results, with not a single licence issued two weeks after the process began.
Manufacturers say they remain in limbo. Around 4,000 applicants have submitted paperwork seeking permission to produce kites and string, but 14 days on, none have received approval. Production cannot legally begin until a licence is in hand, meaning the early clearance has so far translated into no activity on the ground.
The delay has left the trade waiting anxiously. Manufacturers had welcomed the advance timeline, expecting it would give them enough runway to prepare stock for the spring festival without the last-minute scramble that has marked previous years. Instead, workshops remain idle.
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Under the process laid out by authorities, applications must be verified before any licence is granted. Additional Assistant Commissioners and the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) force are responsible for confirming applicants' details through field checks.
A spokesperson for the district administration said verification is ongoing under the supervision of Assistant Commissioners, with Additional Assistant Commissioners and PHA teams conducting field visits. Licences will be issued only after clearance from the Punjab government, the spokesperson added, and only registered manufacturers will then be permitted to prepare materials.
No timeline has been given for when the first approvals might be issued, leaving manufacturers uncertain about whether they will have adequate time to meet demand ahead of the festival.
