The Cosmopolitan Club on Anna Salai has filed a writ petition in the Madras High Court challenging the building plan approval granted by Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) to Tamil Nadu Golf Federation (TNGF) for constructing a new club house on a property leased out by the government jointly to the club as well as TNGF.
When the case was listed before Justice T.S. Sivagnanam on Friday, the judge adjourned it to Monday so that it could be heard by Justice N. Anand Venkatesh, the portfolio judge, who was on leave on Friday. In its affidavit, the club accused the CMDA of having granted the building plan approval “with undue haste” and without the joint lessee’s consent.
It said, the State government had allotted 65.09 acres of land at Nandanam in 1933 and another 12.61 acres in 1935 for developing a golf course. The club had developed barren land in to a golf course by investing huge amount of money. It stated that a full-fledged club house named Travancore House had been established several decades ago.
Since the existing club house had all facilities required for the golf players, there was no necessity for a new club house to be constructed with commercial facilities such as a gymnasium, conference hall and a swimming pool, the club said. It also alleged that the CMDA had failed to follow the principles of natural justice before granting building plan approval.
