Huda scraps Gymkhana rent deal with tent house after protests

GURGAON: Huda has terminated its controversial rent deal, in which it had leased out an open space at Gymkhana Club to a tent house. The move came in the wake of protests from its members who alleged several irregularities in the deal. Huda, according to them, had leased out the space to the tent house for nine years without calling open tenders.

Huda was asked to stop the construction work being carried out at the club on Tuesday. The tent house was building a banquet hall on the club premises. A meeting of the club's executive committee chaired by the Huda administrator decided on Tuesday evening to terminate the contract with the tent house. "We have decided to end the contract for leasing out Gymkhana Club's open space," said Huda administrator Yashpal Yadav.

Divisional commissioner D Suresh had directed Huda on Tuesday to stop the construction work being carried out by Billu Tent House at the club with an immediate effect. The tent house was building a banquet hall on the premises of the club.

"After several club members objected to the agreement, we decided to hold an executive committee meeting to discuss the issue. The meeting was scheduled for Monday initially, but it was postponed for a day," said Huda official.

He also said after receiving objections from club members, the Huda administrator had initiated an inquiry by the estate officer-II. "During the meeting, an inquiry report submitted by estate officer-II Vivek Kalia was examined, and on the basis of the report it was decided to end the contract with the tent house," the official said.

The report submitted before the executive committee had raised questions on the deal, which were overlooked, and the committee was not apprised of the developments. "The site was allocated on the assumption that a tendering process was conducted in 2015, which was later found to be contrary," the report said.

Estate officer-II and general secretary of Gymkhana Club Vivek Kalia said as per the agreement the land was given to tent house for nine years. "Giving land for nine years without calling tenders is neither legally tenable nor administratively prudent. Thus it was recommended to neutralise the agreement," said Kalia.

Kalia said it was decided that Huda would call fresh tenders on condition that tent house, which would get the contract, would not be allowed to give the club's space on rent to non-members. "The facility and premises of the club are exclusively for the members only," he said.