Pavan Usha Travels

Our small office is at A 14 in the Mahalaxmi Chambers building. We are right by the ST Stand and the Central Bus Stand in Kolhapur. This part of the city never really sleeps because of all the buses coming in from Pune, Mumbai, and other places. Being at A 14 means we are on the ground level where it is easy for people to find us. We mostly deal with people who need a taxi or a private car after they get off the long-distance buses. The room is filled with the smell of old paper and the sound of the traffic outside. We have a few maps on the wall to help explain routes to people who aren't from around here. Running a travel desk in such a high-traffic area means we have to be quick. We don't have time for a lot of talk, just getting the names down and finding a driver who is free. Sometimes the ST Stand area gets very chaotic with the rain or the festival crowds, but we just stay at our desk and handle it. We have a small bench outside for people to wait. It’s a very basic setup, but it works for what we do. We’ve seen the city change a lot from this window in Mahalaxmi Chambers. Mostly, we are just here to help people get to their next stop without too much trouble. It is hard work but we are part of the local scene.