Jamshedpur, Sept. 11: Vehicular movement on Tata-Hata road was disrupted for over two hours this morning as residents of Linetola in Parsudih blocked the Karandih Chowk to protest against local administration’s apathy.

The protesters, mostly tribals, were demanding imme diate construction of a drain in Linetola connecting Karandih.

The blockade, set up at about 9.30am continued till 12noon.

Smaller vehicles like two-wheelers managed to sneak passed the bypass road but the heavy vehicles were stranded for hours together due to the blockade.

There were few school buses that were trapped in the blockade.

However, the blockade was lifted after the executive magistrate B. Maheswari arrived at the spot and assured the agitators that he would ask the concerned department to make a proposal for constructing a drain as demanded by the protesters. He has ask for the estimate of the same from the department concerned.

The agitators said there is a 600-feet-long drain from Pramothnagar but it ends on reaching Linetola.

“In the absence of the drain, the dirt come out through the drain which spread in Linetola. The stench and dirt has led to an outbreak of disease in the area. We had been demanding a new drain to pass through Linetola but no one has paid any heed to our plea,” said Sanatan Hembram, a resident of Linetola.

Hembram added that few months ago the block development officer of Jamshedpur had taken a step for making a new drain in the locality.

“Instead of proposing for a drain at Linetola, the BDO sent proposal for a drain in Pramothnagar. The BDO had got a technical sanction for the drain, which was estimated at Rs 5 lakh,” he said.

The protesters also had blocked the drainage from Pramothnagar today, which led to the spread of filthy water in the area adjoining Pramothnagar.

The road blockade was supported by activists of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Jharkhand Party and Jharkhand Disom Party.