The long-awaited gymkhana policy has finally been released, granting sweeping powers to district collectors and making it mandatory for gymkhanas to accommodate senior state and central government officers as service and permanent members. |
Mumbai: The long-awaited gymkhana policy has finally been released, granting sweeping powers to district collectors and making it mandatory for gymkhanas to accommodate senior state and central government officers as service and permanent members.
Revised in 2017 and amended in 2024, the policy had sparked resistance from gymkhanas— especially those in Mumbai— renowned for their exclusivity and rigid membership norms. The comprehensive new guidelines, issued on Thursday by the Revenue Department and signed by Chief Secretary Rajesh Kumar, introduce a restructured fee model for officer memberships, as well as updated annual lease rents payable to the government.
Under the policy, gymkhanas must offer service membership to Group ‘A’ officers from both state and central services—up to 5% of their total membership strength. Additionally, gymkhanas are required to grant per manent membership to five such officers who have held service memberships continuously for five years.
In Mumbai, the conversion fee from service to permanent membership has been capped at Rs 5 lakh, while gymkhanas elsewhere in Maharashtra may charge a maximum of Rs 2.5 lakh. This provision could prove a windfall for senior bureaucrats, given that memberships at elite South Mumbai gymkhanas often cost between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore, making them among the most soughtafter in the country.
To formalise the selection process, gymkhanas must submit a list of eligible service members to the District Collector, who will recommend five names after due scrutiny—effectively giving the government a direct say in gymkhana memberships.
The policy also outlines a new lease rent structure.
Gymkhanas will now pay:
• 1% of 10% RR value for Category A (land area above 20,000 sq. m.)
• 0.5% of 10% RR value for Category B (10,00020,000 sq. m.)
• 0.25% of 10% RR value for Category C (less than 10,000 sq. m.)
Gymkhanas are permitted to rent out their grounds for non-sporting events by charging Rs 1.5 lakh/day for Category A, Rs 1 lakh for Category B, and Rs 50,000 for Category C. However, they must offer their premises free of cost to the government or for public purposes for five days annually, with the District Collector having final authority over such usage.
Importantly, gymkhanas are now barred from recommending specific caterers or decorators for any event not related to sporting activities.
