Shakti Metal Industries

Shakti Metal Industries is located right in the heart of Paharganj at Shop No 1644 in the Main Bazar. It’s a noisy place to work, but that’s just how it is in this part of Delhi. We deal with all sorts of metalwork. You can hear the sounds of hammering and cutting from the moment we open the shutters. The shop is narrow and filled with stacks of metal sheets, rods, and various tools that have been there for years. We mostly do small-scale fabrication and supply parts to other local businesses or people passing through the bazar. It’s very hot in the summer because of the machinery and the lack of a good breeze in the narrow lanes, but we just keep the fans running and get on with it. I’ve been working here since I was a young man, and the street hasn't changed much, though it’s gotten much more crowded. We don't have a website or anything like that; people just know where to find us. Sometimes tourists wander in by mistake, looking for the hotels nearby, and we have to point them in the right direction. My hands are usually covered in grease or metal dust by midday. We take a break for lunch when the sun is highest and sit on the stools outside. It’s a tough environment, but it’s what we know. We make things that last, and that’s basically the whole story of our shop and how we work here.