CLTA to pay Rs 1.22-lakh lease money annually

Deepankar Sharda

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 13

After a wait of more than four years, the UT Sports Department has finally renewed the lease contract of the Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association (CLTA), which was pending since January 15, 2017.

According to the new agreement, the complex, which is located at Sector 10, has been leased out on an annual average rent of Rs1, 22,585. The department has charged no security amount on this contract.

Unlike the previous contract, the complex has been leased out for five years and eight months.

Earlier, the CLTA, which is a private body, was given this prime piece of land on an annual lease (ground rent) of only Rs100. The contract was signed for a 20-year period, which ended on January 15, 2017. The agreement had begun on January 16, 1997.

The department will make available the tennis stadium, comprising two main synthetic courts, four cemented courts, two clay courts, eight synthetic courts (practice), area in which partial buildings are constructed, tensile mesh all around its extension and open area (others) to the CLTA from January 1, 2017, to September 9, 2022. The CLTA will pay lease money and ground rent of Rs16,058 (per acre) per annum for the open area with 5 per cent compounded annual increase and Rs100 per building per year to the UT Estate Office. Besides, the department will also look after the maintenance of the building, including expenditure on maintenance. All other points in the agreement are the same as the previous contract.

Notably, the Sector 10 complex is the only facility, under the department, which has the option of charging a usage fee on an hourly basis. Interestingly, the booking for the stadium is approved by the CLTA management, while all other sports complexes are controlled by the department.

“The department took a long time to sign the deal. It was worth noting that for four years, there was no contract and who would be responsible for decisions taken during this period?” questioned an official of the department.

In reply to an RTI query filed last year, the department had accepted having no specific rules for leasing out their sports complexes to any particular private body. Besides this complex, small area at the Sector 16 cricket stadium has been leased out to the local cricket association, making it only two private associations in Chandigarh to have their own space in buildings owned by the UT Sports Department (UT Administration). 

Paid Rs100 annual lease money earlier

Earlier, the CLTA, which is a private body, was given this prime piece of land on an annual lease (ground rent) of only Rs100. The contract was signed for a 20-year period, which ended on January 15, 2017. The agreement had begun on January 16, 1997.