The Indian Centre has ordered the Delhi Gymkhana Club to vacate its Lutyens’ Delhi property by June 5 [3].
The eviction of the 113-year-old institution threatens the livelihoods of more than 500 employees [5] and removes one of the most exclusive social addresses in the capital.
The dispute centers on unpaid dues totaling approximately Rs 47.6 crore [4]. The government said there is an urgent need for the land to develop defense infrastructure and other public projects [6].
The property in New Delhi spans between 27 and 27.3 acres [1, 2]. The club has occupied the site since its original lease was established in 1927 [7]. Under the terms of that original agreement, the annual ground rent was set at Rs 15 per acre, totaling Rs 409.5 [8].
Legal representatives for the club said they have concerns regarding the sudden nature of the order and the potential for mass unemployment. The government said that the strategic and governance-related infrastructure needs outweigh the current lease occupancy [6].
Because the deadline is set for June 5, the club faces a narrow window to either settle the debt or secure a legal stay from the courts [3]. The scale of the unpaid dues represents a significant financial gap between the historic lease rates and current government valuations of Lutyens' Delhi land.
“The Indian Centre has ordered the Delhi Gymkhana Club to vacate its Lutyens’ Delhi property by June 5”
This conflict highlights the tension between colonial-era land leases and the modern infrastructure requirements of the Indian state. The vast discrepancy between the 1927 rental rates and the current Rs 47.6 crore debt suggests a long-standing failure to update lease terms to market value, making the club vulnerable to eviction as the government prioritizes high-security defense and public works in the heart of New Delhi.
