The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has revived various sports activities at Roshanara Club in north Delhi, opening the doors for the general public to participate on a pay-and-play basis. DDA has stationed its staff to oversee and manage the facilities, according to officials.
The sports complex offers a broad spectrum of activities, including tennis, basketball, table tennis, cricket, swimming, badminton, squash, futsal, and yoga.
“These games can be accessed from 6 am to 9pm, except on Monday. While certain activities such as cricket and mini football are more in demand during weekends, recently introduced activities like yoga are also in demand despite the limited sessions called in the morning between 7 am and 8:30 am. In May, we added the swimming pool facility and charged only Rs 100 per dip,” said a DDA official.
The DDA plans to introduce additional sports disciplines and coaching sessions soon. Last month, the authority issued online tenders for the club’s maintenance, which included provisions for game attendants and supervisors.
“Only those agencies having successfully completed similar works during the last seven years in any govt department or public sector undertaking were asked to apply so that the quality of services is not compromised,” said the official.
However, due to an ongoing legal dispute over the club’s operation, currently under consideration by the Delhi High Court, there has been no provision for permanent membership.
The club, embroiled in a legal dispute, was closed last year. The DDA claimed that the club’s management continued operations despite the lease expiration. Conversely, the former club management asserted that the sealing occurred despite a court-issued stay order. These disputes had previously hindered sports activities at the club.
Founded in 1922, Roshanara Club is situated in the heart of north Delhi and is one of India’s oldest clubs. Spanning 22 acres, it has served as a lush retreat for its members for over 90 years and is recognized as the birthplace of the Board of Control for Cricket in India. Sir Sobha Singh, a prominent builder of Lutyens’ Delhi and father of renowned Indian writer Khushwant Singh, was among its founding members. Another notable founder was Rai Bahadur Amba Prasad, an eminent businessman born around 1860.
