Dash Inspectorate, Vadodara, Gujarat

Even though the name says Vadodara, our office for Dash Inspectorate is actually over in Surat, in the Piplod area. We are in the Kancheswar Apartment, specifically in flat B404. It’s a good location because we are right behind the Lake-View Hotel. From some of the windows, you can see a bit of the surrounding neighborhood and the trees. The apartment is mostly a place for our paperwork and planning. We spend a lot of time out at different sites doing inspections, so the office is our home base. It has that lived-in feel with various tools and clipboards hanging around. The floor is tiled and easy to clean, which is good because we bring in a lot of dust from the field. There is a small balcony where we sometimes stand to get some fresh air. Surat is a fast city, and Piplod is a nice part of it. We have a few computers and a big table for looking at charts. It’s not a very formal place. We talk loudly and drink a lot of coffee to stay sharp. Sometimes the neighbors in the apartment block pop in to say hello. It feels more like a community than just a business. We keep our own hours mostly, depending on when the inspection work needs to be finished. It’s a bit of a juggle, but being based in a place like Kancheswar makes the long days a bit easier.