Major Fire Erupts at Assam Fertilizer Plant Days Before Prime Minister Modi's Scheduled Visit

Guwahati: A significant fire broke out at the ammonia plant of Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizer Corporation Limited in Namrup on Sunday evening, creating uncertainty over the facility just two weeks prior to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's anticipated visit to the region.

The fire, which began approximately at 7.10 pm, started at the pressure air compressor within the ammonia plant, with flames rising high into the evening sky. Pressure air compressors play a crucial role in fertilizer production, being essential for compressing ammonia gas for cooling purposes and as feedstock material.

Several fire tenders were promptly deployed to manage the intense blaze. While officials are yet to determine the full extent of damage as firefighting efforts continue, authorities have confirmed that no injuries or casualties have been reported in the incident.

This occurrence has prompted questions about safety measures at the BVFCL facility. The affected plant is situated merely 1,000 meters from where the Prime Minister is scheduled to lay the foundation stone for a significant new fertilizer project.

Prime Minister Modi is expected to visit Namrup on December 21 for the foundation ceremony of the new Ammonia-Urea fertilizer project under the recently established Assam Valley Fertilizers & Chemical Company Limited (AVFCL).

The newly formed AVFCL, which was established on July 25, 2025, represents a joint venture designed to strengthen the agricultural sector in the region.

In this partnership, the Government of Assam holds the predominant equity stake at 40 percent, with participation from National Fertilizers Limited, Oil India Limited, Hindustan Urvarak & Rasayan Limited (HURL), and BVFCL.

The new Ammonia-Urea complex being developed is engineered to achieve an annual production capacity of 12.7 lakh metric tonnes.