The North East work adventure – Hasimara
Day 20 – 11 March 2020
Hasimara installation is not by our company.
We had bid for 6 locations of the Bel tender and were pretty sure to get all 6 as we had finalised the specifications in consultation with Bel.
We were surprised to be out bid at Hasimara by a local vendor.
10-15 days after the order processing, the vendor at Hasimara, gave us a call and requested to supply all the materials to him for him to supply it to Bel as he couldn’t find most of the material anywhere else
That’s how we ended in Hasimara yesterday, got picked up by them and drop-off at Dooars Dhaba and lodge.
Woke up to the sounds of chirping birds and the occasional truck/car passing by.
We were picked up by the dealer and taken to the airforce station gate.
While he had assured us we would get a quick entry, the security had other ideas.
They asked for letters of permission which were not arranged, and after an hour’s wait and Mr Deepak furnishing a letter from his office, we were allowed in
The Hasimara air force base is built out from a jungle. The area is huge and there are still large tracts of the jungle in pockets around the base.
Calls of peacocks are constant through the day, and sights of parakeets, drongos and other birds are common. The jungles apparently have cheetahs and leopards as well as deer and other animals.
We reached the site, to find to our horror the compressor unloaded vertically instead of horizontally.
There was no labour around as they were on holiday for Holi.
We got to work of unpacking and Y and J started working on the car washer and other electricals.
Rakesh, the BEL engineer came to the site along with other airforce people. He showed us the availability of single-phase current from another building. The senior airforce commander also did a round of inspection shortly after. Requested them to arrange 3 phase power from a generator and if possible a forklift to move the compressor.
They promised a generator will be in place by 9 am at the site. They will see about the forklift
Lunch was simple roti, dal, aloo bhaji for 60 Rs a plate
Post lunch we worked on the airline and got done with it with the help of power from the single-phase line
By 5 pm we were tired and ready to go back. 80% of the job is done. Tomorrow the compressor needs to be assembled and we will be almost through if all goes well.
We head back to the hotel, picking up Bhutan highland brandy and Druk 11000 strong beer on the way.
Ordered starters and had drinks till 9 pm. Dinner was egg curry, roti, jeera rice and dal fry.
Watched a few episodes of Vikings and slept uncomfortably , waking up at 6 am and not able to sleep!
