Tue Feb 18 19:38:44 UTC 2025: ## Madras High Court Dismisses Gymkhana Club’s Plea to Save Guindy Golf Course

**Chennai, February 19, 2025** – The Madras High Court dismissed a writ petition filed by the Madras Gymkhana Club (MGC) challenging the demolition of a golf course within the Madras Race Club (MRC) premises in Guindy. The court ruled that the land, used for the golf course, belongs to the government and was leased to the MRC, not the MGC, decades ago. The government intends to develop the area into four new ponds to mitigate flooding in nearby Velachery and other areas.

Justice D. Bharatha Chakravarthy stated that the golf course’s construction on government land was a crucial factor in the decision. He noted that the lease granted to MRC decades ago included a clause allowing government access for public projects. The judge emphasized the land’s strategic location amidst residential and commercial buildings, making it ideal for rainwater storage and flood prevention. The new ponds, dug seven meters deep, are also expected to improve the groundwater table.

The court rejected MGC’s claim of long-standing occupancy, finding insufficient evidence to prove its existence or use of the golf course predated the 1946 lease to MRC. Even if MGC’s claim were true, the judge argued, their inaction for 80 years rendered their current petition untimely. The court further clarified that MGC lacked the legal standing to claim possession of the land, describing their use of the golf course as a mere license granted by the MRC.

The court’s decision effectively ends the MGC’s legal challenge, paving the way for the government’s flood mitigation project.

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