Neil Motors

Neil Motors is tucked away on R C Main Road in the Maisuma area of Srinagar. It’s a busy spot, right near the Maisuma Bazar and not far from Haji Mashzid. The street is almost always crowded with people and vehicles, so there is a lot of noise and energy all day long. We spend most of our time working on engines and getting our hands covered in oil. The shop isn't very big, so we have to be careful about how we park the cars and motorcycles so we don't block the sidewalk. When it snows in the winter, we have to clear the front of the shop first thing in the morning just to get the doors open. We've been here for a long time and know most of the shopkeepers on this block. We don't bother with anything corporate; we just fix what's broken and try to keep things moving. Sometimes we share a pot of tea with the neighbors while waiting for a part to arrive. It can get a bit chaotic when several people show up at once wanting their vehicles checked, but we just take them one by one. The walls are stained with grease and we have tools hanging everywhere, but that’s how a real motor shop should look. The smell of gasoline and old tires is something you just stop noticing after a few years here.