Centre asks Delhi Gymkhana Club to hand over premises by June 5

THE DELHI GYMKHANA Club, where the city's powerful and elite rubbed shoulders for nearly a century, stared at possible closure on Saturday with the Centre asking it to return its expansive 27.3 acres by June 5 on grounds of "securing defence infrastructure".

- PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

The sprawling premises, situated at 2, Safdarjung Road, in the heart of leafy Lutyens' Delhi, were leased to the Imperial Delhi Gymkhana Club (now known as Delhi Gymkhana Club) for maintaining a social and sporting club. It stands adjacent to the prime minister's residence on Lok Kalyan Marg on one of the city's most valuable and strategically important land parcels, within the high-security administrative zone that also houses several key central government and defence establishments.

An order, issued by the Land and Development Office under the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry on Friday, stated that the premises are critically required for the strengthening and securing of defence infrastructure and other vital public security purposes. IN ITS LETTER to the club’s secretary, the L&DO said the leased land is essential to fulfil urgent institutional needs, governance infrastructure and public-interest projects, integrated with the resumption of adjoining government lands.