NEW DELHI: Bulldozers rolled into the Delhi Race Club on Thursday, bringing down several historic structures at the century-old institution shortly after the Centre took possession of its 53-acre premises, effectively bringing horse racing activities at the club to an abrupt end, news agency PTI reported.The demolition followed a Patiala House Court order on Tuesday dismissing the club’s plea seeking an interim stay on the August 11 eviction order passed by an estate officer under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act.Among the structures demolished were the stables, bookmakers’ ring, winning post, photofinish camera and saddling enclosure, facilities that had long been central to horse racing at the club, a club official told PTI.“It was a deeply disturbing sight for anyone who has been associated with the club and racing,” a source associated with the club said.The club had more than 250 horses, of which around 200 have already been taken back by their owners, while nearly 50 remain on the premises, the official said.“We have been given time till September 14 to sort everything out. We are planning to send the remaining horses to their owners in the next one or two weeks,” he said.The club’s stables, renovated in the 1940s, had been specifically designed to protect horses from Delhi’s harsh summers while maintaining ventilation.“This place was built very meticulously to shield the horses from the heat and keep the stables ventilated,” the official said.The thoroughbreds, valued at anywhere between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 50 lakh, depending on pedigree and racing record, are among the country’s prized racehorses. Horse floats have been leaving the racecourse every few days, transporting horses to racing centres across the country, according to sources cited by PTI.How the eviction battle beganThe legal dispute dates back to March, when the Land and Development Office issued a notice directing the club to vacate the government land within 15 days, stating that it was required for public purposes.The club challenged the notice before the Delhi high court.On May 26, a division bench of the high court set aside an interim order that had stayed the show-cause proceedings against the club, allowing the eviction process to proceed.On August 11, the estate officer directed the club to vacate the 53.24-acre premises within 15 days, holding that its lease had expired on December 31, 1994, and had not been renewed.The Centre maintained that the lease executed on March 8, 1926, was temporary and continued through periodic extensions only until December 31, 1994. It argued that the club had therefore remained in unauthorised occupation of government land since January 1, 1995.The club’s main appeal against the eviction order is scheduled for final disposal on September 26.(With agency inputs)
