Kite flying safety on Makar Sankranti, in India and abroad

Quick answer: Fly with plain cotton thread only: nylon, synthetic and "Chinese" manja is banned in India under a 2017 National Green Tribunal order. Fly from terraces with a parapet, far from power lines, and never chase or pull down a stuck kite. Avoid dawn and dusk when birds fly. Abroad, keep away from airports and follow local height limits.

Kites fly on Sankranti in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and many other places. For Gujarat's own customs, its bird-rescue campaign and its High Court orders, see our Uttarayan in Gujarat guide. This page covers the safety rules that apply wherever you fly.

What does the law say about manja in India?

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) order of 2017. In its judgment of 11 July 2017 in Khalid Ashraf v. Union of India (Original Application 384 of 2016, heard with O.A. 442 of 2016), the NGT's Principal Bench ordered a total ban on kite string made of nylon or any synthetic material, or coated with synthetic, non-biodegradable substances. It directed every state and union territory to prohibit its manufacture, sale, storage, purchase and use. Traditional cotton thread was not banned.

States and courts enforce it. State governments, district magistrates and city police issue their own prohibitory orders each season, and several High Courts have added directions. Gujarat, for example, also prohibits glass-coated thread (see the Gujarat guide). In January 2026 the Cyberabad police in Telangana reported 53 cases against sellers of Chinese manja in one season and asked people to use only cotton thread.

What this means for you:

• Buy plain cotton thread from a licensed shop. Avoid any thread sold as Chinese, plastic, nylon or "monofil", and avoid metal- or glass-coated thread.
• Do not store or carry banned string. Possession and use, not only sale, are prohibited.
• Check your district's current notice before the season; rules are tightened often.

Why is manja so dangerous?

Synthetic string is strong, does not break easily and does not rot. When a kite is cut, the loose line drifts across roads, trees and wires and stays there for weeks.

• People: riders on two-wheelers have suffered deep neck cuts from loose string in many Indian cities. In January 2026 a man in Indore died when kite string cut his throat while he was riding his motorcycle, and Cyberabad police in Telangana reported a rider with serious neck injuries.
• Birds: string cuts wings and legs and traps birds in trees.
• Electricity: Adani Electricity in Mumbai warned in January 2026 that kite string conducts electricity well and can carry very high voltage if it touches or comes close to a live overhead line. Metal-coated thread is worst.

Rooftop and terrace safety

• Fly only from a terrace with a parapet or railing at least waist high. Never fly from sloping roofs, water tanks or the edge of an unwalled roof.
• Watch your feet. Most falls happen while people walk backwards looking up at a kite. Clear the floor of buckets, pipes and loose string.
• Never jump between roofs or climb walls to catch a falling kite.
• Protect your fingers. Use finger tape, a cloth guard or gloves when handling string for long.
• Keep a first-aid kit, water and sun protection on the terrace. A long day in the winter sun still dehydrates.

Power lines and electrical safety

Electricity companies issue the same advice every season. Telangana's southern power distribution company (TGSPDCL) asked kite flyers in January 2025 to:

1. Fly in open areas, away from buildings, streets and highways.
2. Keep away from poles, towers, overhead wires and transformers.
3. Never try to retrieve a kite stuck on or near a line.
4. Never use metallic or metal-coated thread.
5. Never climb electrical equipment, and keep children away from snapped wires.

Report a fallen wire or a dangerous kite on a line to your electricity company's helpline (TGSPDCL gave 1912; Adani Electricity in Mumbai gave 19122). Do not touch it.

Two-wheelers and road safety

Loose string is nearly invisible across a road. City police in Hyderabad (Cyberabad) and Indore gave this advice in January 2026:

• Wear a helmet and keep a moderate speed in kite-flying areas.
• Cover your neck with a scarf or muffler; Indore traffic police added that a scarf alone is not enough without a helmet.
• Children riding pillion are at the same height as the string; be extra careful with them.
• Never fly kites on or beside roads, flyovers or railway lines, and never run into traffic after a kite.

Protecting birds

• Avoid the early morning and evening, when birds leave and return to roost. Gujarat's forest and animal husbandry departments asked people in 2026 not to fly before 9 AM or after 5 PM.
• Use cotton thread only.
• Clear up afterwards: collect loose string from terraces, trees and balconies and put it in a bin, not on the street.
• If you find an injured bird, do not pull the string. Cover it lightly with a cloth, keep it in a ventilated box in a quiet, shaded place and call your local forest department, municipal animal helpline or a veterinary hospital. In Gujarat, use the Karuna Abhiyan helplines listed in our Gujarat guide.

Kite safety for children

• An adult stays on the terrace with children the whole time.
• Small children fly small kites with short lines, away from the parapet.
• Teach them never to chase a falling kite across roofs, roads or railway tracks.
• Teach them to let go of the line rather than be pulled towards an edge.
• Keep string and spools away from toddlers, and check fingers for cuts.

Flying kites on Sankranti abroad

Families abroad often hold a kite afternoon on the nearest weekend. In 2027 Makar Sankranti falls on Thursday 14 January in the USA, Canada and the UK, mid-winter there, so pick a dry, calm day.

• USA. Federal Aviation Administration rules in 14 CFR Part 101 apply to kites weighing more than 5 pounds: they may not be flown within five miles of an airport boundary, more than 500 feet above the ground, within 500 feet of cloud base, or where visibility is under three miles. Ordinary small kites are below that weight, but staying well away from airports is wise for any kite.
• UK. Under Article 92 of the Air Navigation Order 2016, a tethered kite or its line may not extend more than 60 metres above ground level without permission from the Civil Aviation Authority, and kites may not be flown inside an aerodrome traffic zone without the aerodrome's permission.
• Other countries: aviation authorities in Canada, Australia and elsewhere have their own limits near airports; check your national aviation authority and the rules of the park you use.
• Everywhere: stay away from power lines, roads and crowds; fly in open parks or beaches where kites are allowed; use cotton or ordinary kite line (never fishing line or wire); and take every bit of string home.

Frequently asked questions

Is Chinese manja banned in India?

Yes. The National Green Tribunal's order of 11 July 2017 banned kite string made of nylon or other synthetic material, or coated with synthetic non-biodegradable substances, and directed all states to stop its manufacture, sale, storage, purchase and use. Plain cotton thread is allowed. States and districts issue their own notices, so check the current one where you live.

Is glass-coated cotton thread allowed?

It depends on the state. The NGT order targets synthetic string and synthetic coatings; some states, including Gujarat, also prohibit glass-coated thread. The safest choice everywhere is plain, uncoated cotton thread.

What should I do if my kite gets stuck on a power line?

Leave it. Do not pull the string, climb a pole or use a stick or pipe. Call your electricity company's helpline if the line looks damaged or the kite is touching it.

What time of day is safest for birds?

Avoid flying in the early morning and late afternoon, when birds are on the move. Gujarat's departments asked people in 2026 not to fly before 9 AM or after 5 PM.

How can two-wheeler riders protect themselves from kite string?

Wear a helmet, cover your neck with a scarf or muffler, ride slowly through kite-flying areas, and take extra care with children on the pillion.

Can I fly a kite near an airport abroad?

Do not. In the USA, kites over 5 pounds may not fly within five miles of an airport, and in the UK kites may not enter an aerodrome traffic zone without permission or go above 60 metres without CAA permission. Check your local rules.

Sources

• National Green Tribunal, Principal Bench, judgment of 11 July 2017 in Khalid Ashraf v. Union of India, O.A. 384 of 2016 with O.A. 442 of 2016, copy hosted by the Government of Puducherry: https://dste.py.gov.in/ppcc/pdf/Legal/Hon%E2%80%99ble%20NGT%20Orders/384%20of%202016%20dt.%2011.07.2017.pdf (accessed 12 November 2026).
• Telangana Today, "Cyberabad police warn against deadly Chinese manja ahead of Sankranti", 3 January 2026: https://telanganatoday.com/cyberabad-police-warn-against-deadly-chinese-manja-ahead-of-sankranti (accessed 12 November 2026).
• Telangana Today, "This Sankranti, discom officials warn against flying kites near electrical lines, transformers", 12 January 2025 (TGSPDCL advice; helpline 1912): https://telanganatoday.com/this-sankranti-discom-officials-warn-against-flying-kites-near-electrical-lines-transformers (accessed 12 November 2026).
• IANS, "Avoid flying kites near overhead power transmission lines: Adani Electricity", 14 January 2026 (helpline 19122): https://ianslive.in/avoid-flying-kites-near-overhead-power-transmission-lines-adani-electricity--20260114171703 (accessed 12 November 2026).
• Free Press Journal, Indore traffic police advice on Chinese manjha, 13 January 2026: https://www.freepressjournal.in/indore/indore-news-traffic-cop-wraps-dupatta-around-girls-neck-shows-how-to-stay-safe-of-chinese-manjha-ahead-of-makar-sankranti-video (accessed 12 November 2026).
• Asianet Newsable, "Indore: Police crack down on Chinese manja after one death, 2 injured", January 2026: https://newsable.asianetnews.com/amp/india/indore-police-crack-down-on-chinese-manja-after-one-death-2-injured-articleshow-igme92v (accessed 12 November 2026).
• DeshGujarat, "Karuna Abhiyan injured bird helpline number released for kite flying festival in Gujarat", 13 January 2026 (flying hours): https://deshgujarat.com/2026/01/13/karuna-abhiyan-injured-bird-helpline-number-released-for-kite-flying-festival-in-gujarat/ (accessed 12 November 2026).
• US Code of Federal Regulations, 14 CFR 101.1 and 101.13 (moored balloons and kites), via Cornell Law School LII: https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/14/101.13 (accessed 12 November 2026).
• The Air Navigation Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/765), Article 92, legislation.gov.uk: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2016/765/article/92 (accessed 12 November 2026).
• UK Civil Aviation Authority, "Airspace notification of kites" (permission above 60 m): https://www.caa.co.uk/general-aviation/ga-airspace/airspace-notification-of-kites/ (accessed 12 November 2026).

Last reviewed: 12 November 2026.

Related guides

• Makar Sankranti 2027: date, Punya Kaal and meaning
• Uttarayan in Gujarat: kites, food, bird safety and the manja ban
• Sankranti in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
• Khichdi Sankranti in Uttar Pradesh
• Makar Sankranti and Pongal abroad
• Makar Sankranti and Pongal for kids