KARACHI, Sept 2: Angry residents of Baghdadi blocked Shah Abdul Latif Road in the Baghdadi Union Council area on Monday evening to protest against the non-supply of potable water to their locality.

The protesters, comprising largely youths and children, put barricades and burnt tyres on the road. The vehicular traffic remained suspended for quite sometime.

The residents of Baghdadi, including that of D.D Chaudhry Road, Fida Husain Shaikha Road and Mir Mohammad Baloch Road, have been facing the water shortage problem for a long time.

A woman teacher of the locality told Dawn that though the water shortage problem had been perennial, it had become acute during the last three days.

The residents also expressed their concern over the deteriorating conditions of Shah Latif Bhitai Road and urged the agencies concerned to take early steps for repair works.

They complained that digging work carried out recently by a civic agency had damaged a pipeline as a result overflowing water entered nearby streets creating filthy conditions in the area.

The situation had become worse near Kalri police station on Shah Latif Bhitai because of stinking water gushing from chocked lines making traffic on the route impassable.

The Bhitai Road is one of the busiest road, linking the Town with Kharadar and Mithadar, parts of Saddar Town. It runs from Aga Khan Hospital, Kharadar, to Bihar Colony.

It also connects Lyari Town with Mauripur Road via Fida Husain Shaikha Road, Lea Market via Mir Mohammad Baloch Road and D.D Chaudhry Road and Chawkiwara via Haji Pir Mohammad Road.

It is an important artery in the Town because major public vehicles use it. In case of any disturbances or traffic jams on Mauripur Road, motorists always use this route to reach the KPT and West Wharf.

The residents also criticized their political representatives who, they said, mad tall claims at the time of elections, but they neglected the basic problems of the common man after coming to power.