The inauguration of a refinery project in Rajasthan by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been postponed after a fire broke out at the site, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said on Monday.
In a statement, the ministry said, "Following an unfortunate fire incident near the Crude Distillation Unit at the HRRL refinery today, the scheduled dedication of the refinery by the Hon'ble Prime Minister on 21.04.2026 has been postponed."
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The fire occurred at the Pachpadra refinery in the Balotra district, a day before the planned inauguration. Initial reports indicated that the blaze started in the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) section of the refinery.
Fire tenders were deployed to the site, and emergency teams worked to bring the situation under control. The incident disrupted preparations that were underway for the inauguration event.
No Casualties Reported
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas confirmed that the fire has been contained and no casualties have been reported.
It further stated, "The fire has been brought under control, and there are no reports of any casualties. An investigation has been initiated to determine the cause(s) of the incident and to take necessary remedial measures. A revised date for the dedication will be announced in due course."
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.
— Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas #MoPNG (@PetroleumMin) April 20, 2026
The fire has been brought under control. There are no reports…
According to a report by The Hindu, the refinery, developed by HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Limited, is described as India's first greenfield integrated refinery-cum-petrochemical complex. The project has been built with an investment of more than Rs 79,450 crore.
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The facility has an overall capacity of 9 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA), including 2.4 MMTPA of petrochemical production capacity.
HRRL is a joint venture between Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and the Government of Rajasthan, with the state government holding a 26 per cent equity stake.
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