Air Chief AP Singh wrote to Rajnath Singh over Race Course land

New Delhi: Days before he retired as the Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal A P Singh flagged concerns to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh over the sealing of the Indian Air Force’s sports complex within the Race Course Air Force Station by authorities from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, people familiar with the matter said.

The Air Chief Marshal wrote a detailed letter to the Defence Minister on October 26 and followed up on the issue in an in-person meeting three days later, requesting him to ensure that the land parcel in the key Air Force station near the prime minister’s residence remains under the control of the force, they said.

In a controversial move, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) sealed the sports complex, causing concern in defence circles and resulting in the cancellation of a planned farewell for the Chief of Air Staff, who retired on October 31. There is no official word on the issue by either the Indian Air Force (IAF) or the defence ministry.

In the letter, AP Singh cited a joint survey of the over 40-acre land parcel conducted in 2014 by the then Ministry of Urban Development, the Defence Estate Department and the Air Force. He argued that the land must remain with the IAF due to the Air Force Sports Complex’s crucial role in the station’s overall operation.

The IAF has already conveyed its concerns to the defence ministry about the sealing of the sports complex and sought cancellation of the sealing process, the people cited above said.

It has also cited the operational importance of the Air Force station in thwarting any aerial security challenges in the high-security area, one of the people said.

In his letter, AP Singh also mentioned certain historical details and the status of the Air Force Station complex, which comprises three distinct segments in terms of land parcels and insisted that all the facilities must continue to operate as usual.

The Race Course Air Force Station’s sports complex — which featured a golf course, a swimming pool, and other amenities — was closed last week.

The Land and Development Office (L&DO), operating under the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry, issued eviction notices to the sports complex’s management, demanding the return of the land.

This move comes as part of the Centre’s recent drive to reclaim high-value land parcels across the area.

Over the past several weeks, the government has initiated a review of prime land parcels near Lok Kalyan Marg through the L&DO with a view to reclaiming plots used for defence golf and sports facilities.

The Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry had earlier asked the entities concerned to hand over the land housing the Air Force Golf Course.

In August, the department evicted the Delhi Race Club from its 53-acre premises on Lok Kalyan Marg, citing the requirement of the land for an unspecified public purpose.

It also reclaimed the Jaipur Polo Ground from the India Polo Association, citing broader public purposes, governance and defence infrastructure projects.

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