Jaipur, June 16 (IANS) Rajasthan’s much-awaited Pachpadra refinery in Balotra district is expected to commence production of petrol and diesel later this month, marking a significant milestone for one of the state’s largest industrial projects.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to inaugurate the refinery on July 4, according to indications from official sources.

The inauguration is expected to coincide with the opening of the Jodhpur airport, with final scheduling dependent on the completion of airport-related formalities by June-end.

The refinery’s commissioning has faced several delays this year.

An inauguration ceremony was initially proposed for January 28 and later rescheduled for April 21.

However, the event was cancelled after a major fire broke out on April 20 following an explosion in an exchanger unit within the refinery’s Crude Distillation Unit-Vacuum Distillation Unit section.

Although the official announcement is yet to come, hectic preparations have started taking shape for giving a rousing welcome to Prime Minister Modi.

Reviewing the progress of the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) Rajasthan Refinery project, State Chief Secretary V. Srinivas on Monday directed officials to expedite the remaining work and ensure the commencement of petroleum product production at the earliest.

During a review meeting held at the Government Secretariat, Srinivas noted that preparations for petrol and diesel production are in their final stages and that production is targeted to begin within the current month.

The meeting also assessed the status of infrastructure development and ongoing work being undertaken by various departments associated with the project.

Emphasising the refinery’s importance to Rajasthan’s industrial growth, the Chief Secretary instructed all concerned departments to complete pending tasks within stipulated timelines while maintaining close coordination.

Senior officials, including Additional Chief Secretary (Water Resources) Abhay Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary (Mines and Petroleum) Aparna Arora, and Special Secretary Namrata Vrishni, participated in the review meeting.

–IANS

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