Delhi's iconic Roshanara Club thrown open to public for cricket and other sports

Around 450 staff members of the historic Roshanara Club have been rendered jobless and hand to mouth even as the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) announced its decision to open the exclusive club to general public under the pay-and-play scheme, leaving the old management powerless and meaningless.

The Roshanara Club, established in the pre-independence era in 1922 by the British imperialist rulers, holds enormous significance as it is the place where the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was conceived in 1927 through a meeting leading to its establishment a year later.

However, the club has been battling problems related to renewal of lease. The two leases expired, one on August 31, 2012, and the other on December 31, 2017.

The club was sealed last year (2023) on September 29 after the police took over the premises at the break of dawn.

Since then, the members have been involved in the court, trying to seek a return to the old status.

However, their efforts were dealt a blow on January 13 this year (2024) when the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) which sealed the premises, threw the exclusive club  open to public for outdoor sports like tennis, basketball, cricket and futsal under the pay-and-play scheme. The visitors have to pay some fees (mentioned in the picture) to make use of the facilities at the club located in North Delhi’s Shakti Nagar and in the vicinity of the Roshanara Bagh.

Then, this month, on April 9, DDA opened indoor sports facilities like badminton, table tennis, squash and yoga to the public.

“We have approached the court, asking authorities to allow members the use of facilities free of cost. We are seeking a stay,” said a top official of the Roshanara Club management to www.thedelhijunction.com.

There are approximately 4,500 members of the Roshanara Club.

Secretary Rajan Manchanda has been quoted by the media as saying that the staff members’ livelihood is at stake.

As of now, the kitchen, which was known to serve some of the most delectable food items in the Capital remains closed.

Tags : Cricket, Roshanara Club, Badminton, Futsal, Tennis, Delhi