Jaipur, July 4 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the country’s first greenfield integrated refinery-cum-petrochemical complex at Pachpadra in Balotra and virtually laid the foundation stone for the Jaipur Metro Phase 2 project.

The Prime Minister reached Pachpadra around 12 noon, where he inspected the refinery’s state-of-the-art control room and interacted with engineers and technical experts to understand the crude oil refining process.

Before dedicating the refinery to the nation, he also watched a documentary showcasing the project’s development and planted a sapling on the refinery campus.

Accompanied by Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, and senior officials, the Prime Minister spent nearly two hours at the refinery complex.

A public meeting was held inside a specially-constructed dome within the refinery premises, with seating arrangements for nearly 5,000 people.

A large number of BJP workers, local residents, youth, and women gathered to attend the event.

During the programme, Prime Minister Modi also virtually laid the foundation stone for Jaipur Metro Phase 2, with the ceremony being simultaneously broadcast at Jaipur’s SMS Indoor Stadium.

Former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, Urban Development Minister Jhabar Singh Kharra, Jaipur MP Manju Sharma, legislators and hundreds of citizens attended the live event in Jaipur.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi arrived at Jodhpur Airport at around 10:40 A.M., where he inaugurated the airport’s new terminal building. He toured the modern passenger terminal, viewed its architectural model, and launched the revised UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) scheme, aimed at expanding regional air connectivity across the country.

Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Chief Minister Sharma, and Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu were present during the inauguration.

At the Pachpadra event, Chief Minister Sharma welcomed the Prime Minister by draping him with a traditional shawl and presenting him with a decorative ‘jharokha’ as a mark of respect.

Prime Minister Modi greeted the gathering with folded hands before taking the stage.

The refinery’s inauguration was originally scheduled for April 21, but the programme was postponed after a fire broke out on April 20 in the refinery’s Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) and Vacuum Distillation Unit (VDU).

Ahead of the Prime Minister’s visit, BJP workers organised a bicycle rally in the refinery area to welcome him.

On Friday evening, rain and strong winds swept through Pachpadra, damaging several roadside hoardings and banners. Officials and workers restored the arrangements overnight, ensuring the programme proceeded as scheduled.

–IANS

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