Frequent traffic jam on Hawks Bay road and prolonged power failure has affected the flow of water supply to Musharraf Colony, Keamari Town, which receive water through tankers. The colony comprises the families affected by mega Lyari Expressway Project.

There are 5,000 plots in this resettlement colony, established near Hawks Bay beach, in which at present 2,000 families are settled. The residents said the area earlier was receiving 30 water tankers daily by the Lyari Development Authority (LDA) but now they hardly receive two tankers daily, which is insufficient for their domestic need. And if they buy water from private tankers it is too costly, which they cannot afford, residents complained.

The LDA is responsible to maintain the resettlement colony and ensure water supply and other problems faced by the families. In this regard, when The News contacted an LDA official, he on the condition of anonymity told that the LDA has hired services of two private companies to supply 30 water tankers daily to meet the demand of the people. One company supplies 24 tankers and the other only six tankers in the same area. The tankers usually operate 24 hours and take rest for the other 24 hours. In the meantime, if road is blocked near New Truck Stand or at Gul Bhai the flow of tankers will be affected and they will not be able to supply total tankers to the area timely. Similarly if there is no electricity the tankers again will face problem to meet the requirement.

Moreover, he said that if they receive 20 tankers in a fixed time, the companies responsible will not provide remaining tankers on the second trip to meet the requirement. This gap sometimes widens and residents suffer shortage of water.

Besides residents, the LDA is also responsible to supply water to eight mosques, four government-run schools, eight private schools and two other offices of Baitul Mal, including a school and a beauty parlour in the area, the official said.

He said the area people need 30 water tankers daily and it is being provided but he complained that prolonged power failures and road blockages affect this routine, which is creating disturbances among the residents.