Chetan Kumar Gore

The office is over in the Karniks Building, which is right in Dandia Bazar in the Manimajra area. It's situated directly across from the Digvijay Plot Police Chowky. Having the police station right there makes it very easy to give directions, even though the street names can get a bit confusing for people visiting Chandigarh for the first time. The building itself is an older structure, and I’m on one of the middle floors. It’s a bit of a climb if the electricity is out and the lift isn't working, which happens once in a while. Inside, it’s mostly just shelves and a couple of desks. I’ve been in this spot for several years now. You can hear the sirens sometimes or the officers talking across the street, but mostly it's just the sound of the ceiling fan humming. I do my work here throughout the day, mostly dealing with people who drop in with questions or things that need looking at. It's not a place with a lot of decoration. I have a calendar on the wall and a lot of notebooks scattered around. The tea shop downstairs is where I spend my breaks. Manimajra is a busy spot, and there’s always something happening on the road. I find that being near the police chowky helps people feel like it’s a safe, reliable landmark to look for. It’s a practical location for what I do, and I’ve gotten used to the rhythm of the neighborhood over the years.