Vakeel Steel Work

Nihal Vihar is a pretty loud place for a workshop, especially along the 50 Feet Road. Our shop is tucked into Gali No. 4, which gets a bit tight for the bigger trucks. Vakeel Steel Work is what the sign says on the door. The floor stays covered in grey dust and little bits of metal from the saws. Most of the day is spent welding or cutting things to size. It’s hot work, and that smell of burnt metal never really leaves your clothes. Since there's no air conditioning, we rely on a big industrial fan that mostly just blows the dust around. Neighbors bring us their broken gates or ask for new window frames. We don't use fancy catalogues; drawing on a piece of scrap paper usually does the trick. It’s heavy work, and our hands definitely show it. Around two o’clock, we grab some food from the stall at the corner. The 50 Feet Road never seems to stop moving with people and carts. Being at this spot for years means everyone recognizes the sound of our grinders. It’s just us and the steel. Orders get finished as they come in without much fuss. The R Block area has become our home over the years. We just keep the hammers moving until it's time to close the shutters.