Centre asks Delhi Gymkhana Club to vacate premises by June 5, Uncertainty looms ...
The Centre has ordered the Delhi Gymkhana Club to hand over possession of its 27.3-acre premises at 2, Safdarjung Road by June 5, 2026, citing the requirement of the land for defence infrastructure and other public security purposes.The direction, issued by the Land & Development Office under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, marks a major escalation in the long-running dispute over one of Delhi’s oldest and most exclusive clubs. It has also left nearly 600 workers, including gardeners, servers and maintenance staff, uncertain about their future.
In an order dated May 22, the L&DO said the premises are located in a “highly sensitive and strategic area” of the national capital and are required for strengthening and securing defence infrastructure and other public security purposes.
The order, addressed to the General Committee and Secretary of Delhi Gymkhana Club Ltd, said the land was originally leased to the Imperial Delhi Gymkhana Club Ltd, now known as Delhi Gymkhana Club Ltd, for maintaining a social and sporting club.
Invoking Clause 4 of the lease deed, the L&DO said the government had the right to re-enter and resume the premises if the land was required for a public purpose. The order said the lease had been determined with immediate effect and that the land, along with all buildings, structures, lawns and fittings, would vest with the President of India through the L&DO.
“The premises shall be taken over by the Land & Development Office on 05.06.2026,” the order said, adding that the department’s technical section would take possession on behalf of the government. In case of non-compliance, possession would be taken “in accordance with law”.
News Alert ! Centre asks Delhi Gymkhana Club to handover their premises by June 5: Official order. pic.twitter.com/cb0WK8N1Pv
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 23, 2026 Workers await clarity
While the government order is centred on land use and public security, its immediate fallout is being felt by the staff who keep the club running. According to PTI, employees at the club said they had not received a formal briefing from the management on what would happen after June 5. A staff member told PTI that workers were waiting for clarity on their jobs, salaries and possible transition arrangements.
Among them are long-serving employees who have spent years maintaining the club’s lawns, sports facilities and service areas. A gardener associated with the club for 17 years told PTI that he first heard about the development while carrying out his regular duty at the tennis lawns. He said there had been no prior warning and that workers learnt about the matter informally as the news began circulating among staff.
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The uncertainty is sharper for direct employees of the club. PTI quoted workers at a private cafe operating within the premises as saying that they may be shifted to another outlet if the cafe shuts, but direct club staff had no such clarity yet.
Legal and administrative options being examined
A club official told PTI that internal discussions were underway on legal and administrative options, adding that an immediate shutdown of such a large institution would not be straightforward.
The Delhi Gymkhana Club stands on one of the city’s most valuable land parcels, located close to the high-security administrative zone that houses key central government and defence establishments.
The club traces its history to the British era. According to its website, it moved to its present location on July 3, 1913, when it was known as the Imperial Delhi Gymkhana Club. It was renamed the Delhi Gymkhana Club after Independence, while the existing structures were constructed in the 1930s.
The club has been under scrutiny for several years. In 2020, the National Company Law Tribunal held that its affairs were being conducted in a manner “prejudicial” to public interest and directed a government-appointed committee to examine its functioning. In 2024, the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal upheld the Centre’s takeover of the club’s management, while setting a deadline for remedial measures and restructuring.
Internet reacts
The order triggered sharp reactions online, with many users linking the development to wider questions around elite colonial-era institutions occupying prime public land in Delhi.
Several posts framed the decision as a public-interest move, especially given the government’s stated defence and security rationale.
“This is earth shattering news. For those who do not know, the Delhi Gymkhana Club is the most premium club of India, having many powerful people as members. They will not give in easily,“ a user wrote on X.
Others questioned the timing and asked whether a club with heritage value and sporting facilities should be displaced without more details on the proposed use of the land.
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