KARACHI, Jan 11: The City Nazim, Naimatullah Khan, has ordered closure of North Nazimabad’s hydrant, situated near Sakhi Hassan roundabout, for causing extensive damages to adjacent roads.

The directive to close down the Muslimabad hydrant was issued to the senior officials of the water and sanitation department by the Nazim after he was informed by North Nazimabad Town Nazim Fasihuddin Siddiqui that the hydrant had not only caused extensive damages to the Sakhi Hassan Road but had also resulted in a number of accidents due to the leaking valves of tankers, drawing water from it.

Taking a prompt notice of the damages, the Nazim asked the officials of the water and sanitation department to immediately close down the hydrant.

Insiders, however, apprehended that the Nazim’s order was likely to meet the same fate of the directive which he had issued in regard to the hydrant in Federal B. Area.

Naimatullah Khan had directed the closure of the F.B. Area hydrant, situated near the Water Pump roundabout, but officials of the defunct KWSB, which has now become a department of the city government, referred the order to the Rangers on the plea that the hydrant’s operation was being managed by the latter.

The hydrant is still functioning and tankers fetching water from it have almost ruined an adjacent service road and the nearby streets.

The Water Pump hydrant has become a permanent nuisance for the residents of Block 10 in Federal B. Area in particular and for motorists proceeding towards Sohrab Goth, Gulberg and Gulshan-i-Iqbal through Shahrah-i-Pakistan in general.

Haphazard parking of tankers on the streets of the residential area and on a service road adjacent to the hydrant has not only created hindrance in the smooth flow of traffic but has also caused heavy damages to the service road and streets.

Residents feared that the frequent movement of tankers might lead to accidents in their locality as tanker drivers often indulged in rash and negligent driving, besides parking their vehicles in front of their houses.