The shutdown of the Indian Air Force's Sports Complex at the Race Course Air Force Station in New Delhi has upset serving and retired personnel, with veterans questioning the manner of the takeover and the cancellation of former Air Chief Marshal AP Singh's traditional farewell ceremony.In an exclusive interview with India Today, Group Captain Ajay Kumar Ahlawat (Retd) said the cancellation of the customary golfing-out farewell, scheduled for October 28, had hurt the sentiments of the Air Force fraternity.The ceremony marks the departure of an outgoing Air Chief, who also serves as the patron-in-chief of the golf course. AP Singh retired as Chief of the Air Staff on October 31."If the government requires the land in the national interest, there is no objection.

But the entire process could have been handled in a better way. The Air Force could have been given adequate time and proper communication," Ahlawat said.

The controversy concerns around 40 acres within the station, which houses the IAF Sports Complex, including a golf course, swimming pool and other recreational facilities. The complex was shut following a survey by the Land and Development Office (L&DO), under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), as part of a land reclamation exercise.HUNDREDS OF STAFF AFFECTEDAhlawat said hundreds of people employed at the complex, including caddies, waiters and other support staff, had been affected by the closure and were now facing uncertainty over their livelihoods.

He also described the establishment as part of Air Force history, pointing to its decades-long association with the force and its importance in facilitating crucial emergency deployments. Club members, meanwhile, have been left looking for alternative facilities.AP SINGH RAISED ISSUE WITH RAJNATH SINGHAs reported by India Today, former Air Chief Marshal AP Singh had raised the matter with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on October 26, days before his retirement, urging that the land remain under IAF control.He highlighted that the station was not merely a recreational establishment but supported Air Headquarters and over 5,000 personnel.

It houses accommodation, training facilities, medical infrastructure and security arrangements.The station also has responsibilities related to countering unmanned aerial system (UAS) threats during activities coordinated by the Delhi Integrated Air Defence Centre.WIDER LAND RECLAMATION EXERCISEThe move is part of a wider MoHUA exercise to reclaim prime government properties near the Prime Minister's residence.As first reported by India Today on October 5, the ministry had been pursuing the reclamation of land occupied by the Delhi Gymkhana Club and Jaipur Polo Ground. The adjoining Delhi Race Club, spread across approximately 53 acres, has also been taken over by the government.With Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit now heading the IAF, it remains to be seen whether the concerns raised by his predecessor will lead to a reconsideration of the land transfer.For veterans, the issue concerns not just the loss of a sports complex but also the manner of its takeover, the impact on staff and the future of a historic IAF establishment.- Ends