Centre Orders Delhi Gymkhana Club to Vacate Lutyens’ Delhi Premises for “Strengthening and Securing Defence Infrastructure”

Key Points:

In a letter dated May 22, 2026, the Centre asked the Delhi Gymkhana Club in Lutyens’ Delhi to vacate the premises and hand it over to the Land & Development Office (L&DO). The letter mentioned that the premises would be taken over on June 5, 2026, and stated that the 27.3-acre land would be used for defence infrastructure and other public projects. The order was issued by the L&DO, which comes under the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry.

The Delhi Gymkhana Club is located at 2, Safdarjung Road, New Delhi, close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence on Lok Kalyan Marg and several important government and defence buildings. The government described the area as highly sensitive and strategically important.

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In a letter sent to the club’s general committee/secretary, the L&DO said the land was originally leased to the Imperial Delhi Gymkhana Club Ltd, now known as Delhi Gymkhana Club Ltd, for specific purposes including running a social and sporting club. The letter stated that the land is now needed for “strengthening and securing defence infrastructure” along with other governance and public-interest projects.

“In exercise of the powers conferred under Clause 4 of the Lease Deed, the President of India, through the Land & Development Office, hereby determines the lease and orders re-entry of the aforesaid premises with immediate effect,” the letter stated.

The notice further said, “Upon such re-entry, the entire plot of land measuring 27.3 acres, along with all buildings, standing erections, structures, lawns, and fittings thereon, shall vest absolutely in the lessor, i.e., the President of India, through the Land & Development Office.”

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According to the government order, officials from the Land & Development Office will take possession of the property on June 5, 2026. The technical section of the department will take possession of the premises on behalf of the government.

“You are directed to hand over peaceful possession of the premises to the representatives of this office on the aforesaid date. In the event of non-compliance, possession shall be taken in accordance with law,” the notice added.

The Delhi Gymkhana Club is one of the oldest and most exclusive clubs in the country. It started functioning at the site in 1913 during British rule under the name Imperial Delhi Gymkhana Club. After Independence, it was renamed Delhi Gymkhana Club, while the current buildings were constructed in the 1930s.

The club stands on one of the most valuable pieces of land in Delhi, inside a high-security administrative zone that houses several key government institutions and defence establishments.

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