Govt pushes Delhi Gymkhana eviction
The Union Government has stepped up its efforts to evict the Delhi Gymkhana Club from its 27.3-acre premises at Safdarjung Road in the Capital, saying the land is needed for defence infrastructure, public security, governance infrastructure and other public-interest projects. As part of the process, the Estate Officer of the Land & Development Office (L&DO) has issued a show cause notice to the Club, asking it to explain why an eviction order should not be passed against it.
The Government moved the Estate Officer with a complaint, claiming the club has become an unauthorized occupant of the 27.3-acre property situated at 2, Safdarjung Road, New Delhi. The notice, issued by Estate Officer Bipin Kumar Singh on June 29, has directed the club and all persons concerned occupying the premises to submit their response by July 7 and appear for a personal hearing on the same day at 2.30 pm.
“In pursuance of sub-section (1) of section 4 of the Act, I hereby call upon you to show cause on or before July 7 at 2.30 pm why such an order of eviction should not be made. And in pursuance of clause (b)(ii) of sub-section (2) of section 4, I also call upon you to appear before me in person or through a duly authorized representative capable to answer all material questions connected with the matter along with the evidence which you intend to produce in support of the cause shown, on July 7 at 2.30 pm for personal hearing. In case, you fail to appear on the said date and time, the case will be decided ex-parte,” the estate officer said.
Valuable Government land situated in the National Capital cannot be permitted to remain under unauthorised occupation contrary to Governmental determination and larger public interest, the notice read.
The move comes over a month after the Government told the Delhi High Court on May 26 that it would not take forceful possession by June 5 of the 27.3-acre premises which is required for “strengthening and securing defence infrastructure”.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared for the Government, said eviction proceedings would only be initiated in accordance with law and after giving due notice.
A senior official in the ministry on Wednesday said that they have initiated the eviction proceedings in accordance with the law.
The sprawling premises, situated at 2, Safdarjung Road, in the heart of leafy Lutyens’ Delhi, were leased to the Imperial Delhi Gymkhana Club Ltd (now known as Delhi Gymkhana Club Ltd) 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.
