KARACHI, Nov 28: Private water tankers did a roaring business on the second and third day of Eidul Fitr, as most parts of the city either went dry or received scant supply in the wake of a burst, which occurred in a 33-inch dia rising main, and also due to faulty distribution system.

The pipeline, which burst at 9am on the Eid day, near LSR (Low Supply Reservoir), not only rendered the localities hooked to it dry on the first two days of Eid, but also created trouble for the residents of adjacent apartment buildings, in Gulshan-i-Iqbal’s block 14.

The residents of the UK Apartments said that as soon as the pipeline burst, water overflowing from the LSR entered the compounds of their apartment building and nearby Gulshan Public School, besides leaving various cars floating in the water.

It was for the second time during a short span of 21 days that overflow from the LSR had entered the premises of the apartment buildings and the school, they said, adding that earlier, almost a similar situation had prevailed on Nov 6, when water overflowing from the LSR had flooded the premises of the nearby apartment buildings and as a result of which the angry residents of the locality had torched two water tankers near Gulshan’s Busy Bee restaurant.

The localities which went dry owing to the bursting of line, included Bahadurabad, Sharfabad, Delhi Mercantile Housing Society and adjoining area, Liaquat National Hospital and Aga Khan Hospital, while water supply to KDA Scheme No 1 and PECHS’ Block 6 (Green-belt Area) was also affected.

However, tanker service from the LSR hydrant, from where over 5,000 tankers draw water daily for supplying to the water-starved localities, was not affected on the second and third day of Eid in the wake of the pipeline burst.

As the tanker service from the Ranger-manned hydrants remained suspended on the first day of Eid, private tankers which were in high demand in water-starved localities charged from Rs500 to Rs600 per tanker.

Despite the fact that a large number of tankers which supplied water from the LSR hydrant round-the-clock had ruined a main two-way road, a portion of main National Stadium Road and a couple of other streets, situated behind Civic Centre and in the vicinity of Gulshan Town Administration’s main office, the authorities concerned had, so far, failed to meet the demand of the residents of the locality concerning the shifting of the hydrant. The hydrant is the property of the KWSB but it is being managed by the Rangers.

However, a KWSB spokesman claimed that water supply to the affected localities had been restored through an alternative pipeline, while repair work at the pipeline had already been initiated, which would be completed in the next 48 hours.

The KWSB Managing Director, Brig Asif Ghazali, who visited both the localities of Gulshan-i-Iqbal, where a pipeline and a sewerage line had burst on Eid day, has directed the engineers concerned to immediately accomplish the repair works so as to restore normal supply to the affected localities as soon as possible.

The other parts of the city which faced water shortage during Eid days due to low pressure, included parts of Lyari, Kharadar, Mithadar, Pakistan Chowk, Haquani Chowk.

Complaints of persisting water shortages have also been received from the residents of Orangi Town’s Union Council No 9.

According to a councillor of the UC 9, leakages in different pipelines were the main cause of short supply of water to the localities which include Islam Chowk, Ali Nagar, Aziz Nagar, Ghausia Baluch Colony and some other adjacent areas.

SEWAGE OVERFLOWS: In another incident, filthy water gushing out of a 12-inch dia sewerage line, which also burst on Eid day in Gulshan-i-Iqbal’s Block 17, near Mumtaz Manzil bus stop, inundated adjacent streets.