Suburban collector Shekhar Channe has served a notice to the Khar Gymkhana and asked it to hand over its land to the Andheri tehsildar.
The gymkhana’s lease expired in February 2015. Sources said the management did not submit a renewal request to the collector or the BMC. The collector has alleged that the club’s facilities were being used for non-sporting activities. The Andheri tehsildar had conducted an inspection on May 14, following which the collector had issued a notice to the club on July 27, citing blatant misuse and violation of lease terms.
The order follows serious allegations that the club had violated the lease conditions by hosting commercial and social functions, including birthday parties, without permission from officials and had failed to share 50 per cent of its earnings with the government. The club however has decided to challenge the collector’s order in the Bombay high court, sources said.
The club was provided land in 1939 on the condition that it would be used for playing cricket and other sports.
In 2009, the revenue minister passed an order that if the gymkhana allowed its tennis courts to be used for other purposes, it would have to share 50 per cent of its revenue.