Public Works Department

Working up here in Darjeeling on Gandhi Road is a bit different than the plains. The weather changes every ten minutes and the roads take a beating from the rain and the steep terrain. We are over in Nawin Gram. If you walk past, you'll see we are usually busy with maps or taking calls about a landslide or a blocked drain. It's a small office and things are a bit cluttered with old files and tools. We don't have any fancy receptionists or coffee machines. Just the basic stuff. Most of the guys are out in the field during the day. We deal with the Public Works Department stuff, mostly just trying to keep the paths clear and the buildings standing. It's hard work and the hills don't make it any easier. Sometimes the trucks can't get through and we have to figure out a new plan on the fly. It's not always perfect. There are delays and sometimes the materials don't show up on time. We do what we can with what we have. People know us around here because we’ve been at this location for a long time. It’s just us, working on the local infrastructure and trying to make sure things don’t get too messy when the heavy rains come. It's a living and it keeps us busy from morning till late evening. We don't worry about being polished; we just worry about getting the next stretch of road cleared.