Mumbai collectorate takes 1,238 sq m land from Wodehouse Gymkhana
The collectorate is also in the process of taking back another plot of 1,357 square metres that has been encroached by slum dwellers. The confiscation of the land under the Urban Land Ceiling Act has been pending for several years now
MUMBAI: The Mumbai collectorate has taken possession of 1,238 square metres of land from the 114-year-old Wodehouse Gymkhana situated near Nariman Point in South Mumbai. It is also in the process of taking back another plot of 1,357 square metres that has been encroached by slum dwellers. The confiscation of the land under the Urban Land Ceiling Act has been pending for several years now.
RTI information sought by HT revealed that the collectorate took possession of the plot on July 27, 2022. A copy of the possession receipt is with Hindustan Times.
Wodehouse Gymkhana, one of the legendary clubs of the city, was set up in 1909 as the Bombay Commercial Gymkhana. In 1935, it was renamed Wodehouse Gymkhana after Sir Philip Wodehouse, who was the governor of Bombay between 1872 and 1875. A lease agreement was registered on January 1, 1939, for a period of 60 years with the then authority, under which the gymkhana was given a total area of 13,084 square metres of land. The agreement was registered on April 16, 1941, and expired on December 31, 1998.
“Following the Urban Land (Ceiling & Regulation) Act, which was brought in to place restrictions on vacant land owned by private companies, individuals and families in urban areas, the gymkhana was directed to return around 7,000 square metres of land to the collector’s office,” said an official from the collectorate. “The gymkhana moved the Bombay high court but failed to get relief, and on May 10, 1985, a ‘consent term’ was signed, by which the gymkhana would have to return the said plot. On March 28, 1995, the gymkhana handed over around 4,000 square metres, but the remaining land stayed with it until it approached the city collectorate for a renewal of its lease after 1998.”
Mumbai collector Rajiv Nivatkar has now written a letter to the state government, seeking permission to conduct a survey of the slums on the said plot, so that his office can start the process of vacating the land by means of rehabilitation. “Following the consent term signed on May 10, 1985, of the approximately 3,000 square metres that Wodehouse Gymkhana was supposed to return, a plot of 1357.16 square metres has been encroached with pucca houses,” states a letter written to the additional chief secretary, revenue department. “To determine the exact number of slums and other details, we request you to allow us to conduct a biometric survey of the slums.” Nivatkar told HT that his office would take action once it got the go-ahead from the government.
Wodehouse Gymkhana’s delay in handing over the land is the reason why its land lease renewal has been pending for 25 years. “When the collector’s office started the process for renewal, it came to light that the gymkhana had yet to hand over the remaining land of approximately 3,000 square metres. Accordingly they were asked to hand over the land before their lease was considered for renewal,” said an officer privy to the development.
The city collector also found that several structural changes had been made without the collector’s permission to the property. “There is also a breach of condition (of the consent term), as slums have come up on the land, which was supposed to be handed over to the collectorate as vacant land,” said Nivatkar. “Under the new rules, the powers to regularise breach of condition are with the state government, and unless the government does this, the process of lease renewal cannot be started.”
Wodehouse Gymkhana president Mohan Lalvani and vice president Pheroze Mehta did not respond to HT’s calls and text messages.
