The Haldia petrochemical plant producing phenol and acetone was inaugurated in West Bengal on Wednesday, with the project’s promoters and the state government claiming that it will reduce dependence on imports, create 1,400 direct and indirect jobs and support further investment in the industrial zone.
The plant, established at Haldia Petrochemicals with investment from partner company Adipar, has been built at a reported cost of nearly Rs 6,000 crore. According to government claims cited at the inauguration, it will produce 3.45 lakh tonnes of phenol and 2.15 lakh tonnes of acetone annually.
The inauguration ceremony began at 11am and was attended by West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, state ministers, legislators, MPs, Haldia Petrochemicals chairman Purnendu Chattopadhyay and managing director Navneet Narayan. The project was initiated in 2014, and the state government described it as the largest investment in Haldia in nearly two decades.
At the event, Adhikari said the plant would end the need to import phenol and acetone, describing the facility as an example of the country’s self-reliance drive. His remarks linked the project to a broader push for industrial investment and employment in West Bengal.
Phenol and acetone are important industrial chemicals used across manufacturing and chemical supply chains. The reported production capacity places the plant within Haldia’s wider petrochemical ecosystem, although the source report did not provide details on the facility’s commissioning schedule, technology provider, expected revenue or the specific industries that will receive its output.
The chief minister said the project would generate 1,400 direct and indirect employment opportunities. He also said the state could attract another Rs 10,000 crore in investment. The report did not specify whether this figure refers to committed projects, proposals or a broader investment pipeline.
The employment announcement also included a local skills-development component. Adhikari said the project’s leadership had sought skilled workers from the surrounding area and asked Higher Education Minister Jagannath Chattopadhyay to inspect local industrial training institutes and assess the infrastructure required to expand their capacity. The chief minister also said people from across the country would be welcome to work in the state, while emphasising the need to prioritise skilled recruitment from nearby communities for industrial requirements.
Several additional projects were announced for Haldia during the ceremony. The state government said an international soft-drinks company would establish a production unit on 98 acres, while a medical equipment manufacturer would build a factory on 50 acres. The report did not identify either company or provide construction and commissioning timelines for these facilities.
Industrial safety and emergency response were also part of the announcements. A 50-bed trauma-care and burns unit is expected to be built in the industrial area at a cost of Rs 28 crore, with completion targeted for June 2027. The facility is intended to serve workers in Haldia’s industrial zone, although details about its operator, land allocation and funding arrangements were not provided.
Adhikari also urged Haldia Petrochemicals chairman Purnendu Chattopadhyay to establish a data centre in West Bengal and promised government support for the initiative. The next milestones for the newly inaugurated plant, the proposed industrial units and the trauma-care facility will determine how quickly the announced investment and employment commitments translate into operational capacity.
