BMC to Turf Club: Return our land!

Notice issued by the civic body alleging that the club violated clauses in its lease agreement

The BMC has asked the Royal Western India Turf Club, (RWITC), located at the renowned Mahalaxmi Race Course, to surrender the open premises it had leased from the civic body.

This order came in the wake of the club's alleged failure to honour the terms and conditions of its agreement with the BMC.

The State Council was intimated about the order yesterday.

The RWITC, which has over 225 acres of the BMC's land in its possession, had failed to respond to a notice issued earlier by the BMC, pulling it up for allowing illegal construction and interior works within its premises, without obtaining the necessary permission from the civic body.

The notice also alleged that the club had flouted its agreement with the BMC to enter into a sub-lease agreement with Ms BJR, the firm that runs a hotel within its premises.

The Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan has divulged this information in a written response to questions raised by Shiv Sena members Deepak Sawant, Diwakar Raote, Ramdas Kadam and Parshuram Uparkar at the state assembly.

225 acres
BMC land that is in the possession of the Royal Western India Turf Club

Errant club
The BMC has charged the RWITC under section 105 b (1) of the BMC Act, 1988, for the following violations:
*Illegal construction and interior design on the given plot.

*Entering into a separate rent agreement with Ms BJR the firm that runs a hotel on the premises from July 2009 to June 2018, even though its lease with the civic body expires in May 31, 2013.

*Giving permission to Ms BJR to carry out repairs and interior work within the premises, without receiving the mandatory permission from the BMC.

The Other Side
Vivek Jain, the chairman of the club, said that he was not aware of any such notice issued by the civic body.