Delhi: Siri Fort sports complex reopens permanent membership

DDA officials add that applications were not opened in the past decade because the complex already had 4,000 permanent members and was overcrowded, making it difficult to accommodate more.

For the first time in over a decade, sports and fitness enthusiasts in the Capital will be able to apply for permanent membership at the Siri Fort Sports Complex (SFSC). The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) announced on Friday that it will invite online applications for 800 new memberships across multiple categories from August 12 to September 11.

Officials said the membership cost and application fee details are still being worked out and will be announced before August 12. (HT Archive)

Officials said the membership cost and application fee details are still being worked out and will be announced before August 12. “We are inviting applications after a long time, responding to the persistent requests from sports lovers and fitness-conscious residents,” said a senior DDA official.

DDA officials add that applications were not opened in the past decade because the complex already had 4,000 permanent members and was overcrowded, making it difficult to accommodate more.

The SFSC currently has around 4,000 permanent members, while about 300 temporary members are enrolled for three-month tenures at any given time. Of the 800 new memberships, 250 are earmarked for government employees and another 250 for non-government applicants. The remaining 300 slots will go to existing associate members (150) and existing tenure members (150), officials said.

“The eligibility criteria will vary by category. In case of oversubscription, government and non-government category members will be chosen through a draw of computerised lots. For associate members, allocation will be based on seniority. For tenure members, the deciding factor will be how many times an applicant has previously held tenure membership,” said the DDA spokesperson cited above.

The DDA said the entire process will be conducted online to ensure transparency and convenience, and physical applications will not be accepted. Applicants can access detailed procedures and terms on the DDA’s official website (www.dda.gov.in), they added.

Spread over a sprawling campus in south Delhi, SFSC houses more than 27 sporting disciplines. Built in 1989 next to the Asian Games Village, the complex offers synthetic and clay tennis courts, an Olympic-sized swimming pool with a toddlers’ pool, squash courts, indoor and outdoor badminton courts, basketball courts, a skating rink, a golf driving range, and a pitch-and-putt course. Indoor facilities include table tennis, billiards, and snooker tables, a modern gym, and a multipurpose stadium for events. The complex also features an air rifle and pistol range, yoga and aerobics halls, pickleball courts, and a naturopathy wellness centre.

According to officials, a café is operational on site, and a fine dining restaurant is scheduled to open next month. The Siri Fort Sports Complex is one of 18 sports complexes operated by the DDA, along with four mini sports complexes and three golf courses across Delhi.