[SS-Traveller]

G. Electric was started as a small shop on Hazra Road by Gautam Prasad Gupta in the mid-1950s. My father, an Electrical Engineer from Jadavpur University, befriended him and taught & updated Gautam-babu (as we all called him) about the intricacies of automotive electricals over the next 30 years.

His sons Uttam and Sanjay (Munna) joined him in his work from the late 1970s. In the early 1980s, when alternators started replacing dynamos, they were one of the very few automotive electricians in Kolkata who understood the principles of how alternators work, how these are different from dynamos, and how to service and repair them.

Today, the pressures of the city have taken away their shop on Hazra Road, and without sufficient space to work, they have become somewhat handicapped. They built their own house recently in a lane across the Bondel Road Flyover, with covered facilities to park & repair cars - but the casual customer looking for a quick fix would not come to them.

On my way from Delhi to Kolkata, my Scorpio's alternator ran into trouble 2 days ago. The automatic voltage regulator stopped working, and the high voltage not only fused all my headlamp filaments, but also overheated and burnt out the stator. Going to an ASC would have meant replacing the alternator - an expensive proposition - and in any case, these are people I've known since birth and trust implicitly. It took them the whole day yesterday, but my alternator was repaired for less than Rs.5000 (spare parts cost itself ran into over Rs.4300), and is as good as new now. In the process, I also met up with Gautam-babu, and that was the bigger pleasure.

Work handled:

• Automotive electrical work, including servicing and repairs of alternators, starter motors, wiring, batteries, lights and accessories fitment, and troubleshooting electrical glitches.
• They specialize in older cars, and are highly skilled in starter motor and dynamo rewinding, as well as other motors such as water pumps and ceiling fans.

What I like:

• Over 60 years of experience - they are legends in Kolkata as far as automotive electricals goes.
• Their in-depth knowledge and understanding of their work will put many a degree-holding electrical engineer to shame.
• Meticulous (but slow) work.
• The motto is to repair, not replace - unless absolutely necessary.
• Covered space for 2 cars to be accommodated.
• Honest to the core - an extremely rare trait in any person today!

What I don't like:

• Not yet updated with all aspects of modern automotive electronics, i.e. ECMs and on-board diagnostics - but Uttam is in the process of updating himself now.

Pricing:

They work for the love of cars and not of money, but yes, money is important. If you think they've charged you less, please pay them what you think is justified. They need the financial support today.

Speciality / USP:

• Meticulous, neat and painstaking work. Time-consuming, but the end-result is extremely satisfying.
• Older cars of whatever make and model.

What I have used their services for:

• They've worked on our family's cars since before I was born. After I moved away to Delhi in the mid-1990s, I have not had the pleasure of using their services.
• They took care of my Scorpio's alternator yesterday.

Contact Information

- Names of the contact persons: Uttam and Sanjay (Munna). Gautam-babu considers himself retired, but does step in to lend a hand where required.
- Phone numbers: 98316-57964 (Uttam) / 990-3333-507 (Sanjay)
- Postal Address: 3-H, Bediadanga 1st Lane, Off Dr. Girindra Shekhar Bose Road, Kolkata - 700 039.
- GPS coordinates: 22.526507, 88.376028.
- Google Map: http://goo.gl/eZ1MHf
- Email / Website : N/A

Photographs

The workshop-cum-residence

Gautam Prasad Gupta today

Uttam and Sanjay

My Scorpio's alternator being taken out

Surgery on the alternator

Some historical photographs: Gautam-babu at work on Netaji Subhash Bose's car. Details here

The official Mercedes of the Governor of West Bengal being attended to by Gautam-babu and Uttam

A Baby Austin that Gautam-babu owned at one time, at one of the Statesman Vintage Car Rallies in Kolkata, with Uttam at the wheel, and his mother in the rear seat

[lapis_lazuli]

Brilliant SS-Da! I have been to their earlier place with my Dadu! My grandpa, was a Gun and Shell factory official and he owned a Renault, a Hillman and a Landmaster as well, in those days. He could be a true BHPian (had he been alive) or maybe a DBHPian !

Late 70s and early 80s. I had been there, twice or thrice. They would probably know my grandpa, (he is no more, though, Dey Babu as he was called)!

I just confirmed from my maternal uncle, and that was indeed the place! Thanks so much.