The Central government on Friday, 22nd May, began the process of taking back the land leased to the historic Delhi Gymkhana Club, saying the property is now required for “strengthening and securing Defence infrastructure” and other important public projects. The government has asked the Club to hand over possession of the property by June 5, 2026.
In a formal communication issued by the Land and Development Office (L&DO) under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, the government informed the club management that it was initiating the “re-entry and resumption” process for the 27.3-acre property located at 2, Safdarjung Road in New Delhi.
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
According to the letter, the government has invoked Clause 4 of the lease agreement, which allows the Centre to take back leased land if it is required for a public purpose. Officials said the area falls within a highly sensitive and strategic zone of the national capital and is now urgently needed for defence-related infrastructure, governance facilities and broader public security requirements.
“The premises are critically required for strengthening and securing Defence infrastructure and other vital public security purposes,” the L&DO said in its notice. The letter also mentioned that the project is linked to the larger redevelopment and resumption of adjoining government land parcels, including areas near Race Course Road, where recent anti-encroachment drives and slum removals were carried out.
The government has directed the club to hand over peaceful possession of the premises on 5th June. It also warned that if the property is not vacated voluntarily, “possession shall be taken in accordance with law.”
One of Delhi’s oldest and most exclusive elite clubs
The Delhi Gymkhana Club has long been seen as one of the most elite and exclusive institutions in Lutyens’ Delhi. Founded in 1913 during British rule as the “Imperial Delhi Gymkhana Club,” the institution was created as a social and sporting club for senior British officials, military officers and influential members of colonial society.
After Independence in 1947, the word “Imperial” was removed, and the club became the Delhi Gymkhana Club. However, over the decades, it continued to remain closely associated with Delhi’s power circles, including top bureaucrats, diplomats, businessmen, politicians and influential families from Delhi.
The club’s sprawling lawns, colonial-era buildings and tightly controlled membership structure made it a symbol of old establishment privilege. Membership at the club has historically been considered extremely difficult to obtain, with long waiting periods and highly selective entry rules.
The current buildings of the club were largely constructed in the 1930s, while its roots go back to the early years of British-era New Delhi. Over time, the Gymkhana Club became one of the last surviving reminders of colonial-era elite culture in the heart of the national capital.
