T.N. government takes possession of 148 acres of land of Madras Race Club

In the early hours of Monday, revenue authorities, accompanied by police personnel, descended on the premises of the race club and sealed its gates

Updated - September 18, 2024 05:05 pm IST - CHENNAI

Police personnel deployed outside the Madras Race Club in Chennai

Police personnel deployed outside the Madras Race Club in Chennai | Photo Credit: R. Ragu

The Tamil Nadu government on Monday (September 9, 2024) terminated the lease that the Madras Race Club held for over 148 acres in Guindy, Chennai, and took possession of the land.

In 1946, a total of 160.86 acres of land in Venkatapuram (Adyar) and Velachery villages were leased to the Madras Race Club, which was meant for horse-racing, games, sports, and other recreational activities.

Out of these 160. 86 acres, 4.90 acres were given to the aquatic complex and 3.86 acres to the TNSCB (renamed Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board). About 3.78 acres were demarcated for public roads and the remaining 148.32 acres were in the possession of the race club.

In the early hours of Monday, revenue authorities, accompanied by police personnel, descended on the premises of the race club and sealed its gates. They also placed a notification from the Chennai District Collector on the gates, which cited the reasons for the termination of the lease.

Trainers and jockeys who were performing their morning track work were forced to keep out.

A trainer told The Hindu, “Early in the morning, when we were doing our morning track work on the race course, we were forced to return to our stables. We were not given any notice in advance. Track work is a very essential part of grooming animals. They should have informed us beforehand.”

Around 500 horses were locked inside the stables by the action of the authorities. They require immediate medical attention, food, and fodder, said a staffer of the race club.  

A member of the club alleged, “They (the authorities) have come to seal our private premises adjacent to race club, which are not part of it. We had a tough time convincing them.”

Several golf club members, including those who were using the golf course attached to the Madras Race Club, were also forced to cancel their regular activities in the morning.

Principal Secretary of Revenue and Disaster Management Department P. Amudha had issued an order on Friday (September 6, 2024) that “the government, after the careful consideration of the report of the District Collector and keeping in view of the overall requirement for land for public purposes... hereby take a decision to terminate the lease granted to Madras Race Club and resume the lands in entirety.”

The Chennai Collector was requested to take physical possession of the specified lands forthwith. The lessee/the Madras Race Club may apply to the District Collector, Chennai, for removal of any movable properties available in the land within a period of 14 days, the order stated.

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