After hosting horse races and equestrian events for over 130 years, the sounds of hooves thundering over the verdant, manicured grass fields in the centre of Udhagamandalam town are set to fall silent over the Ooty Race Course. The venue, which has been used for horse racing in the Nilgiris was taken over by the Revenue Department from the Madras Race Club (MRC) on Friday citing arrears in least rent. However, sources in MRC claimed the government had stopped receiving their payment from 2018.
Officials from the Nilgiris district administration said the MRC had had an agreement with the Revenue Department to lease a total of over 54 acres of land for the continued operation of the Ooty Race Course from 1978 onwards. “They had paid the lease to the government till the year 2001, and have failed to do so after that, with arrears totalling ₹822 crores owed to the government,” said S. Maharaj, Revenue Divisional Officer (Udhagamandalam).
In 2018, a small portion of the race course was taken over by the district administration for the setting up of a parking lot.
The MRC and the government had been involved in a legal dispute over the race course, with officials stating that the MRC had offered to pay a portion of the outstanding dues to the government in return for the continued usage of the grounds. “However, the Madras High Court passed an order on June 21, 2024, directing the Revenue Department to take over the grounds,” said Mr. Maharaj.
The MRC facilities were sealed on Friday, July 5, 2024 with the Revenue Department putting up a notice stating that the 53.34 acres that have been repossessed have been handed over to the State Horticulture Department for the setting up of an eco-park.
Work on setting up the park has already begun with workers trimming the grass in the race course and also planning on planting native flora in the area.
Local historians said, the race course was established by reclaiming land from the Ooty lake around 1896 near the present location of the Ooty bus stand with the course measuring a total of around two kilometres in distance.
Reacting to the development, sources in the Madras Race Club in The Nilgiris recalled a long winding dispute and said till 1986 the Club paid ₹84,977 per annum as Lease Rent. Thereafter following various legal proceedings, the High Court had in September 2003 directed it to pay an enhanced rent at the rate of 12% on ₹84,977 every year, with retrospective effect from 2001. Thereafter, the Club had been paying ₹95,175 per annum as Lease Rent.
However, in July 2005, the Tahsildar revised the lease rentals at ₹58,38,375 per annum. The Club challenged this in the High Court, which observed the rent cannot be revised unilaterally. Subsequently, in August 2013, the Club was asked to pay ₹1,48,18,720- as arrears. While in August 2014, the Club urged the Tahsildar to reconsider this, the authorities continued to issue Demand Notice every year for an enhanced amount by way of Lease Rent.
“Presently on September 19, 2022, a sum of ₹873,00,11,967 as arrears of Lease Rent from 1986 to 2022 has been determined unilaterally,” a source said, adding, “at present the Lease Rent has been determined by the Tahsildar at ₹63,14,247- per annum, without adducing any basis.” Besides, the source claimed, the government stopped accepting the Lease Rental Cheque payment of the Club for an amount of ₹95,175 from July 2018.
Published - July 05, 2024 04:59 pm IST