KARACHI, Feb 4: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan has directed Karachi District Coordination Officer Mir Hussain Ali for closure and shifting of Sakhi Hasan hydrant to some other location in the city.

The directive was issued by the governor on a request by the town administration concerned, pertaining to relocating the hydrant, made during his visit to the area on Eidul Azha, as its presence was causing immense inconvenience not only to the area people, but also to those who used the artery for travelling towards city from North Nazimabad.

The entire road, constructed and carpeted recently by town administration, had almost disappeared and craters or gravels were spread all over it, damaging four wheelers and putting the lives of motor-cyclists at risk, Naib Town Nazim Maqsood Khan pointed out during the governor's visit.

This is not the only locality in the city where hydrants have made the lives of commuters miserable, as wherever the hydrants have been set up in the midst of the population, they have become a nuisance for the people.

These very hydrants were set up many decades back outside the city limits. However, with an increasing pressure of population, coming from Northren Areas as well as from Punjab and rural Sindh, to seek jobs, has made the city expand in all directions.

Similarly, the hydrants located in Muslimabad were damaging the roads in the vicinity of the Dawood Engineering College and Islamia College, where despite repeated carpeting work the authorities have failed to improve some sections of roads.

Muslimabad hydrants also need governor's attention to protect one of the main arteries leading to the commercial district of the city. Due to water tankers coming from the hydrant, the fast-moving traffic on the artery often gets interrupted, resulting in traffic jams.

Earlier, the hydrants which were operating from Nishtar Road were closed as they too had totally damaged one of the main city arteries. However, the closure and relocation of the hydrants had helped the town administration concerned in maintaining the road.

As both the hydrants at Sakhi Hasan and Muslimabad are being manned by Rangers, their relocation should not be any problem for the authorities.

As in the case of Sakhi Hasan hydrant, it was reported that the Site Town administration had offered the Rangers to open the hydrant in its jurisdiction, it will not be difficult for the DCO to implement the decision of the governor and remove the grievances of the area people who have been demanding its closure or relocation from many years.

It is also learnt that the people living in vicinity of Muslimabad hydrants are fed up with the nuisance caused by hydrants and favour its relocation outside the city limits, so that roads could be saved from the damage caused by leaking of water from the tankers, which are also eroding road carpeting, ultimately ruining the road.