Mara Steel Ltd.(Manaksia Group)

Out here in Dharsha Palpara, things are pretty industrial. We are part of the Manaksia Group and our focus is steel. The G.I.P. Colony area in Howrah is where you’ll find our plant. It’s a dusty place, as you’d expect with any steel business, and there is always the sound of machinery or trucks moving in the background. We have been operating from this spot for a long time. The office is right next to the main gate, so we see every load that comes in and goes out. It’s not the kind of place where you wear a white shirt and expect it to stay clean for long. We have a small team here that manages the daily production schedules and the logistics of getting the steel to where it needs to go. Sometimes the heat from the mill makes the office feel a bit stuffy, even with the fans going full blast. We mostly talk about tonnages and delivery dates over cups of hot chai. The roads leading to the factory can be quite rough, especially during the monsoon when the potholes fill up, but the drivers know the way. We don't have fancy decorations on the walls, just a few calendars and safety posters that have faded over time. It’s hard work and the days are long, but this is what we do. Everyone knows their job and we just get on with it without making a big deal of things.