Tiruchy: City Club razed down as civic body cancels lease

Tiruchy: The Tiruchirappalli municipality workers used earth movers to raze down a century-old ‘City Club’ building here on Saturday as its lease period had expired.  

Official sources said the then Tiruchirapalli municipality leased out a piece of land of 3889-sq.m.  located in the heart of Tiruchy at Main guard gate to the ‘City Club’ in 1905 for a period of 85 years. When this lease expired on May 28, 1989, the municipality extended the lease for another 25 years, based on a request by the club authorities.

However, the Tiruchirapalli city corporation in its resolution on September 25, 2013, canceled the lease as the corporation needs the land for developmental works, and served notice to the secretary of the club on October 4, 2013, to vacate the land and that the same should be handed over to the corporation.

Protesting against this, the ‘City Club’ authorities moved the Madurai Bench of the Madras High court challenging the corporation’s notice.

However, the court dismissed the petition of the ‘City Club’ authorities on March 27 this year.

Meanwhile, the corporation authorities called for tenders to construct a commercial complex under the ‘smart city scheme’ and again asked the club to vacate the land.