A P Singh writes to Rajnath Singh over sealing of IAF sports complex

New Delhi: Days before retiring as Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal A P Singh raised concerns with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh over the sealing of the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) sports complex at the Race Course Air Force Station by authorities from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), people familiar with the matter said.

Air Chief Marshal Singh wrote a detailed letter to the Defence Minister on October 26 and followed it up with an in-person meeting three days later, urging him to ensure that the land parcel at the key Air Force station near the Prime Minister’s residence remained under the force’s control, they said.

In a move that triggered concern in defence circles, MoHUA sealed the sports complex, leading to the cancellation of a planned farewell for the Chief of the Air Staff, who retired on October 31. Neither the IAF nor the Defence Ministry has issued an official statement on the matter.

In his letter, A P Singh referred to a joint survey of the more than 40-acre land parcel conducted in 2014 by the then Ministry of Urban Development, the Defence Estates Department and the Air Force. He argued that the land should remain with the IAF, citing the sports complex’s crucial role in the overall functioning of the station.

The IAF has already conveyed its concerns to the Defence Ministry over the sealing of the complex and sought the cancellation of the sealing process, the people cited above said.

It has also highlighted the operational importance of the Air Force station in addressing potential aerial security threats in the high-security area, one of the people said.

In his letter, A P Singh also referred to historical details and the status of the Air Force station complex, which comprises three distinct land parcels, and maintained that all its facilities should continue to function as usual.

The sports complex at the Race Course Air Force Station, which included a golf course, swimming pool and other amenities, was closed last week.

The Land and Development Office (L&DO), under the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry, issued eviction notices to the management of the sports complex, asking it to hand over the land.

The move comes amid the Centre’s recent drive to reclaim high-value land parcels in 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 need for 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.