Sets precedent for gymkhana land review 2025 Maharashtra issues GR — policy review begins February GR proposes study group.
In space-starved Mumbai, where public open spaces remain scarce, gymkhanas and clubs occupy a significant share of the city’s green cover.
On Friday, the collector’s office summoned office-bearers of all 16 gymkhanas for one-on-one meetings with Mumbai’s additional collector.
The gymkhanas included Bombay Gymkhana, Hindu Gymkhana, Islam Gymkhana, Parsee Gymkhana and Wodehouse Gymkhana.
Civic officials had argued that collecting rent could create the perception that the civic body intended to extend the lease.Maharashtra govt begins review of Mumbai gymkhanas on public land, eyes wider public access.
A week after the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs’ Land and Development Office (L&DO) asked the century-old Delhi Gymkhana Club to vacate its leased premises on Safdarjung Road, the Maharashtra government has initiated moves to draft a policy aimed at making land parcels occupied by Mumbai’s gymkhanas more accessible to the public.
Government sources told The Indian Express that the exercise is also intended to ensure greater government control over these land parcels.
The state’s action comes close on the heels of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) 2024 takeover of a large portion of the Mahalaxmi Racecourse to create a public park.
The move follows a government resolution (GR) issued in February this year. According to the resolution, the state revenue and forest department has proposed setting up a study group to review existing policies governing gymkhanas and clubs across Maharashtra.
MAHARASHTRA · LAND POLICY REVIEW 2025 Mumbai's Gymkhana Land Under the Scanner Total Gymkhanas 20+ On Public Land 16 Acres Occupied 664 Open Space/Capita 1.28 m² LAND CLUBS TIMELINE All Collector Land Private Land 1 Gymkhanas & VIP Clubs PUBLIC LAND of open space 664 ac 2 Mahalaxmi Racecourse BMC LAND total plot 211 ac 3 BMC Public Park (new) PUBLIC PARK converted 120 ac 4 RWITC Retained PRIVATE retained 91 ac 5 Mumbai Total Open Space CITY TOTAL open space 3,780 ac # GYMKHANA LAND TYPE STATUS MEMBERSHIP FEE WAIT 1 Bombay Gymkhana Collector Summoned Up to ₹1 Cr 20+ yrs 2 Hindu Gymkhana Collector Summoned — — 3 Islam Gymkhana Collector Summoned — — 4 Parsee Gymkhana Collector Summoned — — 5 Wodehouse Gymkhana Collector Summoned — — 6 11 Other Gymkhanas Collector Summoned — — 7 4 Private Gymkhanas Private Not summoned — — 1914 First lease granted to RWITC Mahalaxmi Racecourse (211 acres) leased jointly by BMC and state govt for 30 years 1964 First renewal — 30 years RWITC lease renewed for another 30-year term 1994 Second renewal — 19 years Final lease renewal granted; shorter 19-year term 2013 Lease expires — RWITC occupies rent-free Lease expired May 2013. RWITC applied for renewal; state took no decision. BMC withheld rent to avoid implying lease extension. Theme park proposals emerge 2023 Decade of rent-free occupation ends BMC finally acts after 10 years of lease limbo 2024 BMC takes over 120 acres 120 of 211 acres reclaimed for public park. 91 acres retained by RWITC. Sets precedent for gymkhana land review 2025 Maharashtra issues GR — policy review begins February GR proposes study group. 9 inspection teams audit all 16 gymkhanas. Office-bearers summoned by additional collector Source: The Indian Express · ORF Open Space Report · Data as of May 2025 · Acreage figures from source article Express InfoGenIE
“In Mumbai as well as several other districts in the state, government owned lands have been allotted to Gymkhanas on lease basis at a subsidised rate. To ensure that the functioning of the Gymkhanas become more inclusive in the future and to also ensure that these lands can also benefit the common public going forward, a study group is being appointed to review the existing policies of gymkhanas and clubs and to make necessary changes wherever required,” the GR stated.
The document added that the proposed policy amendments would also seek to make club memberships more transparent and re-evaluate the existing revenue model.
In space-starved Mumbai, where public open spaces remain scarce, gymkhanas and clubs occupy a significant share of the city’s green cover. According to a report by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), gymkhanas and VIP clubs occupy 664 acres — nearly one-fifth of Mumbai’s total 3,780 acres of open space. The report noted that Mumbaikars have access to just 1.28 square metres of open space per capita.
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Government records show that Mumbai has more than 20 gymkhanas and clubs. Membership fees at several elite clubs reportedly go up to Rs 1 crore, while waiting periods in some cases stretch beyond two decades.
Of the 20 gymkhanas in Mumbai, 16 stand on collector-owned land. These plots were leased out at nominal rates during the colonial era for setting up social and recreational clubs for the British. Today, these institutions count among their members elite citizens and senior bureaucrats, some of whom receive service memberships during their tenure.
On Friday, the collector’s office summoned office-bearers of all 16 gymkhanas for one-on-one meetings with Mumbai’s additional collector. The gymkhanas included Bombay Gymkhana, Hindu Gymkhana, Islam Gymkhana, Parsee Gymkhana and Wodehouse Gymkhana.
“We consulted with the Gymkhana administration on a one-on-one basis seeking their cooperation throughout the process of our review. We also aim to involve them in the process since there should be a transparent methodology as they are the current leaseholders of these plots,” a senior government official told The Indian Express.
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Officials said nine teams comprising government officers had conducted physical inspections of all 16 gymkhanas over the past week. The inspections included scrutiny of land records, actual land usage and any structural alterations.
Officials also clarified that Maharashtra’s exercise was unrelated to the Union government’s move involving Delhi Gymkhana.
“Our policy was drafted as early as February and since then we have held multiple meetings with the authorities. This is a standalone issue and has no relationship with the union ministry’s move,” the official added.
Apart from recreational and social activities, several gymkhanas also rent out their premises for weddings, concerts and other events.
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Speaking to The Indian Express, a member of a prominent gymkhana who attended Friday’s meeting said, “Today’s meeting was mainly about the state government officials discussing about increasing the lease and license fees for Gymkhanas. Earlier, the Gymkhanas would only pay an annual revenue, however going forward they may also charge us tariffs for hosting concerts or banquet events in our premises.”
How BMC took over Mahalaxmi Racecourse
In 2024, the BMC took over 120 acres of the 211-acre Mahalaxmi Racecourse to develop a public open space modelled on New York’s Central Park and London’s Hyde Park. The remaining 91 acres continued to remain with the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC), which has managed the property since the 19th century.
The 211-acre plot, jointly owned by the BMC and the state government, was first leased to the RWITC in 1914 for 30 years. The lease was renewed in 1964 for another 30 years and again in 1994 for 19 years. The final lease expired in May 2013 and was never renewed.
It was in 2013 that proposals to convert the land into a theme park first emerged. Although the RWITC had applied for a lease renewal, the state government did not take a final decision on the request.
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The BMC also refrained from charging rent between 2013 and 2023. Civic officials had argued that collecting rent could create the perception that the civic body intended to extend the lease.Maharashtra govt begins review of Mumbai gymkhanas on public land, eyes wider public access.
