Future of Calcutta Race Course in doldrums

Drimi Chaudhuri and Mou Chakraborty
Kolkata, July 30, 2007

It might be the beginning of the end for the Calcutta Race Course. Sports and youth affairs minister Subhas Chakraborty says Asia’s oldest racing course has lost its charm and plans to move it away to make way for a state-of-the-art sports complex.
The move has alarmed both the Royal Calcutta Turf Club and environmentalists, but it is for the defence ministry to take a decision now.
The minister told the Assembly on Monday that the state government has already discussed the matter with former defence minister Pranab Mukherjee, who has forwarded it to the present minister, A. K. Anthony.
“The racecourse is over 120 years old and has lost its earlier attraction or commercial importance. We are thinking of constructing a modern complex in its place, albeit abiding by defence rules as the area is under the Union ministry’s jurisdiction. We could consider moving the racecourse away from the main city as has been done in Mumbai and Pune,” he said.
Royal Calcutta Turf Club steward Cyrus J. Madan denied racecourses in Mumbai and Pune had been shifted out of the city and that the club was not making money. “Anybody interested to know about our collections can come down to our office and check,” he said.
Racehorse owner and former secretary of the Calcutta Racehorse Owners Association, Gautam Sengupta, said the club “attracts lots of tourists and employs hundreds of people. It would be unfortunate if Chakraborty’s plans come true”.
Environment crusader Subhas Dutta said the minister “wants to turn the turf into a commercial complex like has been done with Salt Lake Stadium. It would also pollute the Victoria Memorial… we are determined to fight”. He also said that the racecourse was a heritage site and the law would restrain the government.
But Chakraborty hopes to hold a preliminary meeting with the defence ministry by September even as the defence ministry spokesperson in the city said the Eastern Command has no knowledge of the turf club closing down. Wing Commander R.K. Das said, “The MoD will take a decision about the sports complex only after it has received the proposal”. Besides, the ground has a golf course for military personnel, a VIP helipad and holds annual defence events like the derby and equestrian show. “It is unlikely that the MoD would give permission for a sports complex,” a defence source said.
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