Hectic preparations and massive arrangements are underway for the inauguration of the HPCL Rajasthan Refinery — the country’s first greenfield integrated refinery-cum-petrochemical complex — in Pachpadra by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday next week.
Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma (Photo:SNS)
Hectic preparations and massive arrangements are underway for the inauguration of the HPCL Rajasthan Refinery — the country’s first greenfield integrated refinery-cum-petrochemical complex — in Pachpadra by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday next week.
Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma and Chief Secretary V Srinivas have been supervising the preparations and arrangements for the Prime Minister’s visit, including his inspection of the refinery complex, the inauguration of the plant, and a mega public meeting in Pachpadra.
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Sharma held a high-level meeting of administrative and police officials at the state secretariat here on Monday to review all aspects related to arrangements for the event, which he hailed as one of the most memorable moments in Rajasthan’s history.
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Earlier on Monday, Sharma visited Pachpadra in Balotra district to take stock of the ongoing preparation and key locations, including the helipad, the refinery premises, and the venues for the function and the public meeting. He also inspected the refinery premises to review facilities that are ready for production, an official spokesperson said.
The Rs 79,459 crore mega project is being seen as a significant milestone in the nation’s quest to make India a self-reliant entity in the energy sector. Besides driving industrial development, it is expected to transform the socio-economic landscape and support ecology, climate and environmental conservation in the vast arid region of the Thar desert.
This assurance stems from the fact that it is a greenfield refinery-cum-petrochemical complex that will utilise advanced, state- of-the-art technologies designed to produce BS-VI grade fuels and petrochemicals, with a strong focus on energy efficiency and zero liquid discharge.
The refinery—the largest in the country and powered by ultra-modern technology—is spread over 4,400 acres and will have an annual refining capacity of 9 million metric tonnes (MMT) of crude oil. At present, the unit is expected to process 1.5 to 2.5 MMT of crude oil from domestic production in the adjoining Barmer district, while the remaining 6.5 to 7.5 MMT will be sourced from the Gulf region.
A special electrically heated pipeline has been laid from Kandla port to Pachpadra for transporting crude oil from Arab countries to the refinery.
Besides petrol and diesel, the plant will also produce a range of petroleum products on a commercial scale, including polypropylene, benzene, linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), butadiene, LPG, and toluene.
Commercial production of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) had begun earlier and has been progressing steadily at the plant.
The refinery, apart from its own production and significant employment potential—estimated to benefit around 90,000 people—is also expected to spur the growth of ancillary industry clusters, including pharmaceutical units, paint factories, and enterprises in the packaging and transport sectors. Besides, various supporting trade and business activities are likely to generate employment opportunities across several districts of western Rajasthan.
On April 21, apart from inaugurating the project and addressing a public meeting, PM Modi will also flag off trucks laden with the first consignment produced by the plant, the spokesperson said.
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