The Indian government has ordered the Delhi Gymkhana Club to vacate its 27.3-acre [1] premises on Safdarjung Road in Lutyens’ Delhi.
The move targets one of the city's most exclusive institutions, signaling a potential shift in how the Modi administration manages high-value land in the capital's most secure zone. The seizure of such a prominent property may set a precedent for other historic land leases in the area.
Officials said the land is required for strengthening and securing defense infrastructure and other vital public security purposes [2]. To justify the order, the government invoked a public-purpose clause of the 1928 act [2].
The center requested the club to vacate the premises by June 5, 2026 [3]. This deadline places the club under immediate pressure to relocate its operations from the heart of the capital.
"The government says it’s required for strengthening and securing defence infrastructure and other vital public security purposes," the government said [4].
The Delhi Gymkhana Club occupies a prime location on Safdarjung Road [1]. The administration's decision to reclaim the 27.3-acre [1] site emphasizes a priority for national security over the club's continued tenure.
"The Centre has asked Delhi Gymkhana Club to vacate its Safdarjung Road premises by June 5 citing defence and security needs," the government said [5].
“The central government has ordered the Delhi Gymkhana Club to vacate its 27.3-acre premises.”
The reclamation of the Delhi Gymkhana Club's land reflects a broader strategy by the Indian government to consolidate control over Lutyens' Delhi. By invoking a 1928 act for defense and security purposes, the administration is prioritizing the strategic hardening of the capital's core over the preservation of colonial-era social institutions.
