''The demolition work at the Bangalore Turf Club premises will be taken up from Monday,’’ said Mr. Chidanandiah, Executive Engineer of the Bangalore Corporation.
''We had given enough time for the Bangalore Turf Club to make alternate arrangements,’’ he added.
The turf club all along knew that they could do nothing to prevent the stables from being
razed to the ground though they were
putting a brave face saying that the drawing of the road expansion will be changed and the realignment will help the club save the stables. Many at the helm were busy claiming credit as to how they forced realignment of the road. According to one of the consultants of the project representing the corporation, there was no change of plan at any stage of the programme barring the delay to accommodate the club to make alternate arrangements. ``When the turf club itself had indicated its willingness to surrender the land required, where the question of resistance is? ’’, he asked.
The bulldozers had reached the turf club a few weeks back to take charge of the parking area but the club bought time and in the process, seriously jeopardized keeping the stables at least till the conclusion of the Bangalore Summer Season. With the expansion of the road on the opposite side of the club having gone on smoothly with the West End Hotel having already surrendered the land and building a new compound, the pressure was on the authorities to go ahead with their
work as planned. When the private hotel itself had surrendered the land, it was only to be expected that the turf club land which is leased from the government, would have to be given up without much fuss. The corporation wants to start the work immediately, possibly within a day or two but have now given time till Monday.
The Bangalore Turf Club knew the inevitable and had raised the compound wall abetting the outer sand track in
preparation a few months ago though the same had been kept as a closely guarded secret. As has already been highlighted in these columns in the past, the turf club has been guilty of not making use of good offers from the government in the past to take alternate land to build a new racecourse. And now with real estate prices having hit the ceiling and the land around Bangalore commanding
astronomical prices, the Bangalore Turf Club is forced to live in the fast shrinking landscape of its 80 odd acres. The administrators have not shown any vision and have landed the club in a mess that can only get worse in the years to come.
The turf club, unfortunately, is led by people with no vision. Vision 2020 may at least be a realistic way of looking ahead!
