Pioneer Embroideries Ltd.

Working at Hakoba Compound in Borivli means you get used to the Western Express Highway noise really fast. It’s just right there, and you can hear the traffic moving constantly while we’re inside working. Pioneer Embroideries Ltd. has been in this spot for a while, and the building has that old feel to it that you only get in these established parts of Mumbai. It’s not like those new glass towers you see further down. Here, it’s about getting the embroidery done and keeping the machines maintained so they don’t give us trouble in the middle of a big batch. The light inside is okay, but we use extra lamps over the work areas so we can see the details properly. Sometimes the monsoon rains make the roof sound like a drum, and we have to speak a bit louder to hear each other. We take our breaks in the small corner near the window where you can catch a glimpse of the highway traffic. It’s mostly just a lot of thread, fabric rolls, and people keeping their heads down to finish the day’s task. We don’t go in for anything fancy, just the basic stuff needed to keep things moving. At the end of the day, we lock up the shutters and join the crowd heading back to the station. It’s a long day, but that’s just how it goes in a place like this.