Days before retiring as Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh flagged concerns to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh over the sealing of the Indian Air Force's sports complex at the Race Course Air Force Station by authorities from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, people familiar with the matter said.
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 controversial move, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) sealed the sports complex, triggering concern in defence circles and leading to the cancellation of a planned farewell for the Chief of Air Staff, who retired on October 31. Neither the Indian Air Force (IAF) nor the defence ministry has officially commented on the issue.
In his letter, AP Singh cited a joint survey of the more than 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 should remain with the IAF, citing the Air Force 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 sports complex and sought the cancellation of the process, the people cited above said. It has also highlighted the station's operational importance in thwarting aerial security threats in the high-security area, one of the people said.
In his letter, AP Singh also referred to historical details and the status of the Air Force station complex, which comprises three distinct land parcels, and insisted that all its facilities should continue to operate as usual.
The sports complex at the Race Course Air Force Station, which featured a golf course, swimming pool and other amenities, was closed last week.
The Land and Development Office (L&DO), which operates under the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry, issued eviction notices to the sports complex's management, seeking the return of the land.
The move is part of 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.
(With inputs from PTI)