Ashok Tyre Works

I’ve been working with tires at Akshay Palace in Warje for years. It’s unit number 9. Most of the day I'm covered in grease or dust from the road. People bring their cars and bikes when they have a flat or if the rubber is getting too smooth. It’s loud work sometimes with the air compressor running, but you get used to it. The shop is small and filled with old tires and tubes stacked up against the walls. It smells like rubber and oil in here. My brother helps me out when things get busy. We don’t have a big fancy waiting room, just a couple of stools if someone wants to sit while we work. Warje has grown so much lately, there are always cars passing by on the main road. We keep our tools in a big metal chest that’s seen better days. It’s not a glamorous job, but it’s what we do. Sometimes a truck driver stops by late at night needing a quick fix, and we do what we can. We try to be fair with everyone. If a tire can be patched, we patch it. If it needs replacing, we tell them. There’s no point in making things complicated. We just focus on the wheels and getting people back on the road safely. That’s pretty much our life here at Ashok Tyre Works.