‘Mission Save Uttarayan’: How An Ahmedabad Man’s Initiative Makes Kite Flying Safer
Manojbhai Bhavsar has been installing wires on bridges through his 'Mission Save Uttarayan' for the past 19 years.
Published : January 10, 2026 at 11:30 AM IST
Ahmedabad: As Uttarayan, the festival known for kite flying, approaches, Manojbhai Bhavsar, a resident of Shahpur in Ahmedabad, is busy installing wires on bridges.
While people enjoy flying colourful kites from their rooftops, accidents also occur when the kite strings often cut people's throats and injure animals and birds. To prevent such accidents and save lives, Bhavsar has been installing wires on bridges through his 'Mission Save Uttarayan' for the past 19 years.
Initially, he installed wires only around overbridges. But today, he installs wires on all the bridges in Ahmedabad. Thanks to these wires, the number of accidents caused by kite strings has been steadily decreasing over the past few years.
Speaking to ETV Bharat, Bhavsar said that he was the first to create a U-shaped ring to protect people from injuries caused by kite strings. “When I first made this U-shaped ring, people called me crazy. This is now being used on every two-wheeler,” he added.
“In 2008 and 2010, there were dangerous accidents caused by kite strings, and people died at different locations. After that, we started installing wires on the bridges. And every year, I tie wires on the bridges, and this year, wires have been tied on 33 bridges, creating a safety barrier,” he said. Bhavsar said that the expenses of his venture are met by him and his friends, and he hasn't taken any kind of donation from the government or any other organisations.
Bhavsar further said the corporation provides them with a hydraulic vehicle for this purpose. “I climb up and tie the wires. This work is done from December 26th to January 10th. There are more than 54 bridges in Ahmedabad, but wires have been tied on 33 bridges where there is a possibility of accidents,” he said.
"Manojbhai's house is in front of my school. And for quite some time now, I have been witnessing his service work with my own eyes. He is a very generous man, and every year during Uttarayan, Manojbhai puts up wires on the bridge,” said Jivanbhai Desai, a local school principal. Local resident Harshad Bhai was also commended Bhavsar’s work, which, according to him, saved many lives.
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