Madras high court refuses to restrain TN’s plan to convert Guindy golf course into eco-park

CHENNAI: The Madras high court on Tuesday refused to restrain the Tamil Nadu govt from converting a part of 160 acres of land -- on which the Madras Gymkhana Club maintained a golf course -- into an eco-park.
"It is also pertinent to point out that at the end of the day, it is govt land," Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy said, dismissing the plea moved by the Madras Gymkhana Club.
It was given for sporting purposes with a rider that even the collector of Chengalpet could enter if there was any public purpose involved, the judge added.
There is a grave need and dearth of water bodies in Chennai. This property is in the middle of the city with a humongous number of residential colonies and commercial buildings surrounding it. It will now serve as an alternative for the rainwater to get stored, preventing inundation of many areas. It would improve the groundwater table, the court pointed out.
"When such is the public purpose with which it is taken, it is for the members of the petitioner club to ask themselves, can they not play golf in the other golf clubs that are available, and can they not use any other premises for their recreational club activities/bar?" the judge wondered.
According to the petitioner, since 1887, the Gymkhana Club had been maintaining a golf course on a part of 160 acres of land belonging to MRC. The club had been in possession, management, and enjoyment of the Guindy Golf Course for more than 140 years and was anticipating celebrating its 150 years of existence in 2027, the club stated.
While so, the state issued a GO on Sept 6 terminating the lease granted to MRC over the 160 acres of land without offering an opportunity to the petitioner, the club said.
Opposing the plea, the govt submitted that the land was leased out only to MRC and, therefore, the petitioner club had no locus standi to interfere in the issue.
Placing a set of pictures detailing the nature of work undertaken in the entire parcel of land, the state submitted that four new ponds had been created which are brimming after the rains in 2024.
The possession of the land was resumed, and it has been handed over to the appropriate authorities for carrying out further development work. “The works are in progress,” it added.