NEW DELHI: In India, barefoot, shirtless, whip-thin men rippled with muscle are forging prosaic pieces of the urban jigsaw puzzle: manhole covers for the world.

Seemingly impervious to the heat from the metal, the workers at one of West Bengal's many foundries relied on strength and bare hands rather than machinery. Safety precautions were barely in evidence; just a few pairs of eye goggles were seen in use on a recent visit.

The foundry, Shakti Industries in Howrah, produces manhole covers for cities in the United States, Europe and the Middle East. The company makes covers for Con Edison and New York City's Department of Environmental Protection, as well as for departments in New Orleans and Syracuse, New York.