2 min readNew DelhiMay 25, 2026 05:15 AM IST
Members of Delhi Gymkhana Club have started a signature campaign to authorise the club to move court against the Centre’s decision to take back the land that the elite institution occupies in the heart of Lutyens’ Delhi.
On Friday, the Land and Development Office under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs wrote to the Secretary of the club initiating the “re-entry and resumption of [the] premises” at 2 Safdarjung Road. Clause 4 of the lease deed allows the government to take back the leased property, if it or any part of it is required for a public purpose.
Major Atul Dev (Retd), a senior member of the club who has been handling its legal matters, had told The Indian Express on Saturday that the club would file a petition seeking a stay on the order.
The government’s notice had come without warning, and had given no reasons or cited any violation of the conditions of the lease, Maj Dev had said.
PTI adds: Anxiety and uncertainty have gripped employees of the iconic Delhi Gymkhana Club after the Centre instructed the club to vacate its premises by June 5.
Nandan Singh Negi, President of the Gymkhana Employees’ Welfare Association, stated that the staff was informed on Saturday about the Centre’s plan to take over the club premises.
“We were told about the development yesterday. Staff members have been calling me throughout the night, asking what will happen to them and where they will go,” Negi said.
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Rameshwar, a staff member who has worked at the club for over 35 years, said that the unexpected order had left employees worried about how they would support their families.
“Many of us have spent over three decades here, while others have worked for 10 to 15 years. We do not know how we will sustain our families now,” he said, adding that finding another job at this stage of life would be difficult for many workers.
Several staff members gathered at the Gymkhana Club on Sunday, demanding clarity on the situation.
