‘Securing defence infrastructure’: Centre asks Delhi Gymkhana Club to vacate land by June 5

The Union government has initiated the process of taking back the land leased to the historic Delhi Gymkhana Club in central Delhi, citing the need for “strengthening and securing Defence infrastructure”.

The move was initiated through a letter sent on Friday by the Land and Development Office (L&DO) under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to the Club’s Secretary, per a report by The Indian Express.

Government invokes lease clause

According to the communication, the process concerns the “re-entry and resumption of premises comprising Delhi Gymkhana Club, 2, Safdarjung Road, New Delhi”.

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The 27.3-acre property is located in one of Delhi’s high-security zones. The government stated that the site is “critically required for strengthening and securing of Defence infrastructure and other vital public security purposes.”

The letter further noted that the land was essential to meet “urgent institutional needs, governance infrastructure, and public-interest projects, integrated with the resumption of adjoining government lands”.

Per The Indian Express, officials also referred to the recent removal of slums from nearby Race Course Road while explaining the larger redevelopment and security-related plans in the area.

Possession asked by June 5

Under Clause 4 of the original lease deed, the government retains the authority to reclaim the leased premises if it is required for a public purpose.

The L&DO has now directed the club to hand over possession of the premises by June 5. The notice stated that if the property is not vacated within the specified timeline, “possession shall be taken in accordance with law”.

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One of Delhi’s oldest elite clubs

The Delhi Gymkhana Club has operated from the location for more than a century. It was originally established in 1913 during British rule as the Imperial Delhi Gymkhana Club.

Following Independence, the institution was renamed Delhi Gymkhana Club. The present structures on the premises were built during the 1930s and have since remained one of the capital’s most prominent social and recreational spaces.

The latest development marks a major shift for the club, which has long been associated with Delhi’s political, bureaucratic and diplomatic circles.