New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to Rajasthan on April 21, 2026, for the Inauguration of the HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Limited (HRRL) project has been postponed following a fire incident near the Crude Distillation Unit at the Pachpadra refinery site, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said on Monday.
According to the official statement issued by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, a fire broke out on Sunday afternoon near the Crude Distillation Unit of the HRRL refinery. Firefighting teams swiftly brought the blaze under control within hours. No casualties were reported, and the surrounding area was safely evacuated as a precautionary measure.
“Due to an unfortunate fire incident today in the vicinity of the Crude Distillation Unit at the HRRL refinery, the scheduled dedication of the refinery by the Hon’ble Prime Minister on 21.04.2026 has been postponed. The fire has been brought under control. There are no reports of any casualties. An investigation has been initiated to ascertain the cause(s) of the incident and to undertake necessary remedial measures. A revised date for the dedication will be announced in due course,” the Ministry stated.
The Prime Minister’s Office had earlier issued a press release that “Narendra Modi was scheduled to visit Rajasthan on April 21, 2026. At around 11:30 AM, he was to dedicate to the nation the landmark 9 Million Metric Tonnes Per Annum (MMTPA) Greenfield Refinery-cum-Petrochemical Complex at Pachpadra, developed as a joint venture between Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and the Government of Rajasthan with an investment of over ₹79,450 crore. The Prime Minister was also slated to address a public gathering on the occasion.”
The state-of-the-art complex integrates refining and petrochemical production, with a petrochemical capacity of 2.4 MMTPA. It features a high Nelson Complexity Index of 17.0 and petrochemical yields exceeding 26%, aligning with global benchmarks for efficiency and sustainability. The project is expected to strengthen India’s energy security, enhance petrochemical self-sufficiency, drive industrial growth, and serve as an anchor for a Petrochemical and Plastic Park in the region. It is also poised to generate significant employment opportunities, contributing to the socio-economic development of Rajasthan.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and HPCL have launched a detailed investigation into the cause of the fire amid online speculation ranging from an accident to possible sabotage. Fire tenders and emergency response teams were deployed promptly, and cooling operations along with safety assessments are reportedly ongoing.
This incident comes just a day before the high-profile inauguration, which was seen as a major milestone for India’s energy sector – the first greenfield oil refinery since the Paradip project in 2016. A revised schedule for the Prime Minister’s dedication ceremony will be made public in due course, the Ministry added.
Further updates on the probe and the rescheduled event are awaited.
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