Delhi will choke: HC to Centre over Jaipur Polo Ground takeover plan

With the Centre deciding to takeover the Jaipur Polo Ground for “redevelopment of the area”, along with the land where other legacy institutions such as Delhi Gymkhana Club and Delhi Race Club are situated, the High Court on Monday orally expressed concern that “Delhi will choke” if these structures, the green lungs of the Capital, cease to exist.

Justice Neena Bansal Krishna orally told to the Central government counsel, “Delhi people please go to some chhota mota mountain and please stay there, Delhi will not be fit for any one of us. You already know how much we are choking because of the pollution. The small (green) lung that we have, you want to take that away also. Take it away, ensure that people stop coming to Delhi.”

“Is it for public purposes? Making high rises, is it in the public interest? We don’t know. We have only high rises in Delhi, all over. In NDMC, colonies which had two-storeyed houses, now have 20-storeyed houses. Every colony has been demolished, and if this is how you want Delhi to live, then God save us all,” she added.

As the government standing counsel Ashish Dixit said that with the city growing, people have to be accommodated, Justice Krishna remarked, “We are equally helpless. Whatever you do, you are the might. But the thing is, Delhi will choke.”

The remarks came in a fresh petition moved by the Indian Polo Association (IPA), seeking urgent protection against coercive eviction following an eviction order issued by the Centre on May 20 under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, ordering that the premises be vacated within two weeks, by June 4.

Subsequently, IPA filed an appeal before the appellate authority challenging the eviction order on May 30. On June 3, while notice was issued by the appellate authority, no interim stay on the eviction was granted, leading IPA to move HC.

Jaipur Polo Ground, spread over 15.20 acres of land in the heart of Lutyens’ Delhi, IPA claims, is the association’s “principal and only operational polo venue” in the country.

Story continues below this ad

Justice Krishna directed that IPA’s application filed before the appellate authority at Patiala House district court be listed on June 10 and recorded the Centre’s assurance that the authorities will not execute its eviction order until June 12.

The court directed the district court to decide the stay application filed along with IPA’s appeal “forthwith”. “No execution (of the eviction order) has been filed and there are no imminent execution of the eviction order contemplated till Friday, as submitted by the counsel (Ashish Dixit),” it recorded.

The court, however, orally inquired from Dixit why the government wants back possession of the Jaipur Polo Ground. To this, Dixit responded, “The Polo Club, Race club and Delhi Gymkhana – the entire area is being redeveloped for public purpose. There are defence requirements, also the Air Force station is there.”

Justice Krishna, however, orally remarked, “For (constructing) 20-storey buildings? What are you going to do with all those heritage structures?… Even in Gymkhana they are there…” Dixit responded that “requisite permissions would be taken”.

Story continues below this ad

Justice Krishna orally continued, “Delhi will suffocate… The little breather we have in the NDMC area, that is also going to go. All of us will suffocate and die. For all the years these have existed, the government never felt the need for the land? Did they feel the need in 200 years?”

Emphasising that a need has now been felt, Dixit said the Centre “cannot disclose in public what it is for.” “Whatever we are going to do, the intention is for the welfare of the people,” he added.

Why is the government evicting Jaipur Polo Ground from its premises?

The land parcel where the ground is situated was gifted by the erstwhile Maharaja of Jaipur to the Delhi Polo Club around 1930, and was formally leased on February 24, 1951 to the Club by the Central Public Works Department for 20 years.

According to IPA, the lease was extended in 1971 until 1982, with further extensions continuing thereafter. Following the dissolution of the Delhi Polo Club in 1983, the premises were transferred and allotted in favor of IPA. In 1984, IPA was required to pay a ground rent of Rs 400 per acre per year – around Rs 6,080 per year. This has remained unchanged since, with IPA, in April 2025, paying rent of Rs 30,400 for five years, until March 31, 2030.

Story continues below this ad

The IPA claims the government has thereafter renewed the lease in its favour, and also temporarily regularised breaches on the premises from time to time. The government has, however, asserted that the lease expired in 1993 and IPA has since continued in illegal occupation of the premises.

In 2017, the government first alleged illegal occupation, which was finally put to a quietus eventually. In March 12, the government issued an eviction notice, following which IPA moved the HC and then invoked arbitration clause from its lease deed.

However while arbitration proceedings were underway, the government again issued a show cause notice on April 17, terming IPA as unauthorised occupant. On May 20, an eviction order was passed, which IPA has claimed was issued without affording them a fair and meaningful opportunity of hearing.

The May 20 order issued by the Land and Development Office estate officer under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs said the land is to be used “for a larger public purpose and benefit”.

Story continues below this ad

The IPA has told the government that the association cannot be treated as an ordinary private occupant and is outside the purview of the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act.