Finally, Cabinet decides to take back land from Indian Gymkhana

S Shyam Prasad I NT

 Bengaluru:

Four years after the High Court of Karnataka permitted the State Cabinet to take a decision on taking back land leased to the Indian Gymkhana club, the Cabinet has finally made a decision. Of the 4 acres 21 guntas of land leased to the Club way back in 1932, the Cabinet has decided to take back 3 acres 13 guntas of land leaving 1 acre 8 guntas of land on which construction already exists.

The current dispute dates back to 2010 when the then state government decided to renew the lease on the 4 acres 21 guntas of land for 35 years for an annual fee of a mere Rs 60,000. The Indian Gymkhana which was established in 1932, was given 4 acres and 21 guntas of land in Cox Town on lease by the then Bangalore City Municipality. Subsequently, the lease was renewed by the civic agency and its successor, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) in 1937, 1954, 1969, 1978, 1994 and 2008.

In between, the BBMP tried to restrict the lease to 1 acre 8 guntas and take back the remaining land for civic purposes, like a playground. But the State Government directed BBMP in 2010 to lease the entire land to the Club for 35 years at an annual fee of Rs 60,000. Ex-MLA of Bharatinagar constituency N Rajanna approached the Upa-Lokayukta with a complaint against this lease. After an enquiry the Upa-Lokayukta had filed a report saying that only 1 acre 8 guntas of land should be leased to the club at Rs.1,46,36,160 annual fee.

The state government decided to implement the report and modified the 2010 order on the lease to reduce the lease extent to 1 acre 8 guntas. But the matter went to the High Court. The court directed the government to take a decision after giving the Club an opportunity to respond.

The Club once again approached the High Court in 2017 alleging interference from the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the BBMP. The government claimed it was a delaying tactic. It was only in 2018 that Justice B Veerappa disposed the case and directed the State Cabinet to take a decision. Now, four years later, the Cabinet has finally taken a decision to take back 3 acres 13 guntas of land and maintain it as a playground for the public.