National Highway Authority

This office is out by the NH-7 stretch in Toopran, Medak. If you’re driving through Andhra Pradesh, you’ve likely passed the AP-2B marker where we stay. It’s a functional spot right by the highway, which makes sense given what we do. We spend a lot of our time looking at the road, checking on maintenance crews, and making sure the traffic flows okay despite any construction. The building isn’t much to look at, mostly just a place for the engineers and staff to get out of the sun and look at maps. It’s dusty because of all the trucks passing by, and there’s a constant hum of engines in the background. We have a small crew here that keeps an eye on the local segment of the highway. Most days involve a lot of site visits and then coming back here to write down what we saw. It’s not a glamorous job, but the road needs to be looked after. We drink a lot of coffee and try to keep the paperwork from flying away when the wind picks up from the passing lorries. People often stop by asking for directions or complaining about a pothole, and we just do our best to deal with it as it comes. It’s a very hands-on environment, and we’re mostly just focused on the miles of asphalt right outside our door.