Lakshmi Engineering Works

Lakshmi Engineering Works is tucked away at 3/4/1, Lakshman Das Lane. It’s a narrow lane, and if you aren't looking for it, you might miss the entrance. We’ve been in this building for ages, and the walls are stained with oil and dust from all the metalwork. You can hear the sound of lathes and grinding from the street before you even see the door. It’s a bit of a messy place, with iron shavings on the floor and tools scattered across the workbenches. We don't spend time cleaning up for show; we just clean up enough to keep working safely. There are only a few of us here, and we usually have grease under our fingernails. The air smells like hot metal and machine oil, which is a smell we’ve grown to like. We fix things and make parts for whoever needs them in the area. It is heavy work and it can get quite hot in the summer months since the ventilation isn't the best in this old building. We don’t have a fancy sign or a glossy brochure. People find us by word of mouth or because they’ve been coming to this lane for years. It’s honest labor and we take it as it comes. Sometimes the machines break down and we have to spend the whole day fixing our own gear. That’s life here.