Mumbai Refinery Mahul

What if I told you there’s a place in Mumbai called “toxic hell,” a “gas chamber,” a place where the poor are “sent to die”? That place is Mahul, home to the Mumbai Refinery Mahul. The Mumbai Refinery Mahul, operated by BPCL, isn’t just a refinery. It’s a landmark in Mumbai’s industrial history, established in 1955. This refinery has a processing capacity of 12 million tonnes of crude oil annually, producing everything from LPG to bitumen. However, its presence has come at a cost. The Mumbai Refinery Mahul is situated in a densely populated area, surrounded by residential colonies and slums. Nearby, sensitive installations like a HPCL plant, Tata Power unit, and Rashtriya Chemicals & Fertilisers plant add to the complexity of the area. On a Wednesday afternoon in 2018, a massive fire erupted in the hydrocracker unit of the Mumbai Refinery Mahul. The explosion and ensuing fire injured at least 43 people. Thick black smoke billowed into the sky, visible for kilometers. The blast itself was heard in distant suburbs like Powai and Sion. This wasn’t an isolated incident. A gas leak from a chemical plant in 2009 sickened 30 people. A crude oil pipeline leak in 2013 devastated 12 acres of mangroves, impacting the livelihood of local fishermen. The air and water quality in Mahul is alarmingly poor. A 2013 survey revealed that over 80% of residents suffer from respiratory problems, eye irritation, and the constant presence of a strong chemical smell. Mumbai Refinery Mahul, a symbol of industrial progress, casts a long shadow over the lives of the people who live in its vicinity. The fight for safer living conditions continues for the residents of Mahul. Their story is a stark reminder of the human cost of industrial development.