Tackling unforeseen situations along with technological advancements

Charanjit Singh Teja

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 28

Bittu Kumar (50), an automobile mechanic at Ram Bagh, had a set routine for the past 35 years, but the lockdown has forced him to tackle unforeseen situations along with technological advancements in automobile sector.

“I started training with a scooter mechanic at Ann Amm Cinema Market in 1985. That was the era of mopeds and two-stroke engines, especially scooters. Now the engines are four-stroke, technically advance, equipped with sensors. It is day-to-day challenge for us to keep ourselves updated.”

Being a religious person, Bittu visits temple in the morning and then opens his shop at 9 am.

Bittu said, “We get more customers in summer. The two-wheeler owners, who also have cars, stop using bikes in winter season. The engine faces snag with summer heat and winter season is not good for us.”

He said, “The region witness extreme cold in December and January. I open shop in the morning and then burn bonfire outside the shop to keep ourselves warm. Then customers start visiting for repair job. I close my shop at 8 pm.”

Bittu witnessed a major blow during the lockdown. “Three months of lockdown were scary for me. I had no other source of income. We earn daily and buy grocery in the evening. There were no major savings. The market is recovering slowly. A large number of workers lost their jobs. Educational institutes are still closed. It will take time for the situation to normalise.”

“I have spent my life learning about the upgradation of automobile technology. Motorcycles are being replaced by four-stroke scooters and e-bikes are also in trend. Thus, it’s a challenging job,” he added.