Date:09/07/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/07/09/stories/2007070956840300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

RIL pipeline work gets a Chinese touch

J.B.S.Umanadh

Work likely to be completed within two months

BREAK TIME: Chinese workers working on the RIL gas pipeline having their lunch near Rudraram.

Sangareddy: They came from almost all provinces of the People’s Republic of China, particularly from Shanghai, Beijing, Nanjing, Shenyang and even Hong Kong. They have been living and working here for almost a year now.

Few hundreds of Chinese workers and engineers have made Zaheerabad’s base camp as their home laying a gas pipeline for the Reliance Industries Limited. The work is to link the KG basin terminal with the Mumbai offshore terminal. The Chinese who split themselves into groups work on different sections of the pipeline particularly on the Zaheerabad, Kondapur, Rudraram section in Medak district. The work in the district is likely to be over within two months.

Different work culture

Riaz, a native of Medak district who has been working with the Chinese, said that their work culture is exemplary. “They don’t stop work for innumerable tea breaks like we do,” he said. While many of the workers could neither understand nor speak English one of them who introduced himself as Liu comes from a village few hundred kilometres from Beijing.

Liu said that the work of drilling, laying pipeline and welding them goes on and the break is only for lunch. Fu and Lee who are working on the Rudraram section from past three days said that they try to cook their own food while the other members continue work.

Noodles all the way

While they are at the base camp they have the luxury of Chinese cooks doing the job for them.

The standard menu that they cook while on camp is noodles, eggs and chicken that is available in plenty anywhere in the State right from Kakinada to Zaheerabad.

The Chinese venture out on the streets of the district headquarters during the weekend looking for Chinese food stalls run by young men from the North East or Nepal. However, on Sunday they prefer to have authentic Hyderabadi biryani and wash it down with beer.