Uncertainty looms over 600 staff after Centre orders Gymkhana Club to vacate premises by June 5

Uncertainty loomed over nearly 600 employees of the iconic Delhi Gymkhana Club on Saturday after the Centre directed it to hand over its premises by June 5, leaving the staff anxious over their future amid a lack of clarity on job security and transition plans.

The order, issued by the Land and Development Office (L&DO) under the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry, said the 27.3-acre land in Lutyens’ Delhi was required for “urgent institutional needs, governance infrastructure and public interest project”, including strengthening defence-related infrastructure.

It further stated that “the premises shall be taken over by the Land and Development Office on June 5.”

In its communication dated May 22, the L&DO said the premises at 2, Safdarjung Road were originally leased to the Imperial Delhi Gymkhana Club Ltd (now Delhi Gymkhana Club Ltd) for maintaining a social and sporting club, and are now required for broader public purpose projects linked with the adjoining government land.

Inside the sprawling premises located near Lok Kalyan Marg, the atmosphere on Saturday evening was marked by unease, with employees saying they had received no formal briefing from the management on the future course of action.

A staff member said workers came to know of the development only recently and were left unsettled by the abruptness of the order.

“There has been no formal meeting with employees so far. Most of us are still waiting for clarity on what happens to our jobs after June 5,” the employee said.

Among those affected are also long-serving workers who have spent decades maintaining the club’s facilities.

A gardener working at the tennis lawns, who has been associated with the club for 17 years, said he was carrying out his usual afternoon routine of trimming the grass and tending to the courts when he first heard about the development.

“I was in the lawn, cutting the grass and maintaining the court area as part of my regular duty when someone told me around 4 pm that the club may be shut down by early June,” he said.

He added that there had been no prior indication from the administration during the course of the day, leaving workers to process the information informally as it began circulating within staff groups.

“Nothing like this has ever happened in all these years of working here. We just heard it suddenly while doing our work. There was no notice or warning before this,” he said.

A club official said internal discussions were underway on legal and administrative options, stressing that an abrupt shutdown of such a large institution was not straightforward.

“This is a very large institution with a long history and a prominent membership base. An immediate shutdown without transition is not practically feasible,” the official said.

Other workers said the absence of communication from the administration had added to anxiety, with many unsure whether salaries, employment contracts or redeployment options would be safeguarded.

Two women working at a private cafe operating within the club premises on a lease basis said their situation was comparatively clearer as they are employed by an external company.

“If the cafe shuts here, we will likely be transferred to another outlet,” one of them said, adding that the uncertainty was more severe for direct club employees.

“People who are directly employed by the club have no clarity at all. There is a lot of confusion,” she said.

A staff member said that the management had not been given prior indication before the order and no alternative arrangement had been communicated so far.

“We came to know about this only recently. There was no prior discussion. Meetings are going on and the next steps, including legal options, are being examined,” the official said.

The Delhi Gymkhana Club stands on one of the city’s most valuable and strategically important land parcels, within the high-security administrative zone that houses several key central government and defence establishments.

Founded during the British era, the club began functioning at the site in 1913 under the name Imperial Delhi Gymkhana Club. It was renamed the Delhi Gymkhana Club after India gained Independence, while the existing structures were constructed in the 1930s.