Spare Parts

Spare parts were expensive, and sometimes difficult to find. Out of necessity, local mechanics were ingenious at quick fixes, using what they had to make repairs on the road. Instead of spares, they had an abundance of imagination. They could replace a broken fan belt with a piece of rope, or secure a door that hung loose with a few strands of wire.A welding torch was an indispensable asset to repair vibration damage caused by the rough roads. It was a common practice to scavenge undamaged parts from one machine that had a minor breakdown in order to repair another, the result being that over a short period, only a few were left in running condition. About the time we began our work in Kolar, Mysore Agro Industries received a shipment of Belarus tractors from the Soviet Union as aid, without spare parts. Some broke down and were stripped to repair others, and as the process continued, most of the fleet was soon disabled.

In contrast, our workshop administered its own funds for spare parts. We weren’t hindered by the frustrating and time-consuming effort of having to maneuver through a labyrinth of bureaucracy for permission to stock or buy what was needed. This gave the workshop the freedom to shape a service and replacement plan that was an important ingredient in minimizing the time the project’s equipment would be inoperative.