Rajasthan: Fire at Rs 80,000 crore Pachpadra refinery ahead of opening by PM Modi

A fire broke out at the Pachpadra refinery in Rajasthan’s Balotra district on 20 April, barely a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the facility, officials said.

Authorities evacuated the surrounding area as a precaution, given the presence of flammable material at the site. There were no immediate reports of casualties, while emergency response teams were deployed to contain the blaze.

The refinery, a Rs 80,000 crore project, is a joint venture between HPCL (Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited) and the Rajasthan government. Crude oil is supplied to the unit via pipeline from Mundra port in Gujarat.

Officials said the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. The incident comes at a critical time, with final preparations underway for the Prime Minister’s visit on 21 April. It remains unclear whether the scheduled inauguration will proceed as planned.

Local authorities said standard safety protocols were activated immediately after the fire was reported. “The area has been cleared and the situation is being monitored closely,” an official said.

Firefighting teams and plant safety personnel were deployed to prevent the blaze from spreading within the refinery complex.

Recent industrial accidents under scrutiny

The Pachpadra incident is the latest in a series of industrial fires and explosions reported across India in recent weeks, raising concerns over safety compliance in high-risk sectors.

On 14 April, a major boiler explosion at a Vedanta power plant in Chhattisgarh’s Sakti district killed at least 17 people and injured several others, according to officials.
Preliminary findings indicated that overheating in a boiler tube may have triggered the blast, while separate reports pointed to possible operational lapses and pressure build-up in the system.

The explosion, which occurred at a 600 MW unit of the plant, led to a shutdown of operations and prompted a magisterial inquiry into safety practices and accountability.

Similar incidents, including fires at industrial units and manufacturing facilities earlier this year, have highlighted recurring concerns around maintenance standards, safety audits and emergency preparedness.

“Recurring industrial accidents suggest gaps in process safety systems and enforcement mechanisms,” said S.C. Sharma, former director at DGFASLI (Directorate General Factory Advice Service and Labour Institutes).

Industrial safety consultant P.K. Jain said ageing infrastructure and inconsistent compliance with inspection protocols remain key risks. “Periodic audits and strict adherence to operational safeguards are critical in sectors involving high-pressure and high-temperature systems,” he said.

The Pachpadra refinery is a key infrastructure project aimed at enhancing Rajasthan’s industrial capacity and strengthening domestic fuel supply chains. The project is expected to play a significant role in regional economic development.

However, the frequency of industrial accidents in recent weeks has brought renewed focus on safety oversight, with experts calling for stricter enforcement and accountability across sectors.