Kailash Auto Builders

Down here in Govandi, right near the station road, we spend our days surrounded by metal and tools. Our workshop is at Harikripa Housing Society II, which is a bit of a walk from the train, but not too bad. We build and fix up auto bodies, so there is always the sound of welding or hammering going on in the background. It gets hot under the roof, especially in the Mumbai afternoons, but we are used to it by now. The floor is usually covered in scrap pieces and grease, no matter how much we try to sweep it up at night. We don't have a big sales team or a fancy showroom. Most people find us because they saw our work on a truck or a van somewhere else in the city. We talk to drivers and owners all day about what they need fixed or changed. It’s a straightforward business. We look at the frame, figure out the cost, and get to work. Sometimes the parts take longer to arrive than we want, which can be frustrating for everyone. But we just keep at it until the job is done. Being near the station means there is always a lot of movement around us. We’ve been in this spot for a long time and the local shopkeepers are all our friends. It’s a noisy, busy life, but it suits us fine.