Former Rajasthan Chief Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vasundhara Raje on Saturday, 4 July publicly thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for simultaneously inaugurating the Pachpadra Refinery and laying the foundation stone for Jaipur Metro Phase 2 — two flagship infrastructure projects forming part of a broader ₹1.06 lakh crore development package for Rajasthan. Addressing a gathering at the Metro Phase 2 foundation-laying programme, Raje expressed confidence that the metro project would be completed within five years.

Raje's Remarks at the Ceremony

Speaking at the event, Raje credited Modi with a consistent record of seeing initiated projects through to completion. 'On behalf of all of us, I would like to thank the Prime Minister for giving Rajasthan such a major gift, not just one, but two today,' she said.

She recalled the Pachpadra Refinery foundation stone ceremony, noting that Modi had laid it during a large public rally in Barmer in January 2016. 'One of his remarkable qualities is that whenever he starts a project, he normally ensures that it is completed,' Raje said, underscoring the significance of the refinery's eventual inauguration.

Jaipur Metro Phase 2: A Decade in the Making

Raje drew a direct line between Modi's earlier infrastructure commitments in Rajasthan and Saturday's announcements. She noted that the Prime Minister had laid the foundation stone for Jaipur Metro Phase 1 in 2015 and was now formally initiating the next phase a decade later. 'I am confident that this project, too, will be completed within the next five years,' she said.

The former Chief Minister described Jaipur as not merely the state capital but the defining face of Rajasthan, framing the metro expansion as essential to the city's long-term growth and connectivity.

What Modi Launched From Balotra

Prime Minister Modi virtually laid the Jaipur Metro Phase 2 foundation stone from Balotra on Saturday, while also formally dedicating the Pachpadra Refinery-cum-Petrochemical Complex to the nation. The two projects anchor a wider package of development initiatives valued at over ₹1.06 lakh crore, launched during his Rajasthan visit.

The Pachpadra Refinery, whose foundation stone was first laid in January 2016, is positioned as a major boost to Rajasthan's energy and petrochemical sector, with the complex located in Barmer district — one of the state's key oil-producing regions.

Broader Political and Development Context

Saturday's events carry clear political weight. Raje, one of the BJP's most prominent faces in Rajasthan, used the occasion to reinforce the party's infrastructure narrative ahead of future electoral cycles. The ₹1.06 lakh crore package — spanning energy, urban transit, and petrochemicals — represents one of the larger single-visit development commitments to the state in recent memory.

Notably, the Pachpadra Refinery took nearly nine years from foundation stone to inauguration, a timeline that opposition parties have previously cited as evidence of delayed execution. The project's completion is now being presented by the ruling party as validation of long-term commitment to Rajasthan's development.

With Metro Phase 2 now formally initiated, attention will turn to project timelines, land acquisition, and funding disbursements in the months ahead.