The Gujarat High Court has issued a notice to state authorities and SE TransStadia Pvt Ltd, following allegations of misuse of government-allotted land originally intended for public sports infrastructure.
The land, spanning over 37,000 square metres near Ahmedabad’s Kankaria Lake, was handed to the private firm at a nominal rent, but petitioners allege that much of it has been converted into commercial real estate in contravention of the original purpose.The plea, filed by two expelled members of the Eka Club—an elite facility operated on the premises—claims that the allotment violates the Gujarat Infrastructure Development Act. Petitioners Hitendra Shah and Chirag Patel, through advocate Sachin Vasavada, argue that while the land was sanctioned in 2011 to promote public sporting activities, it has instead become a hub for high-end showrooms, events, and commercial rentals. They cited a glaring disparity between the token rent of ₹4.02 lakh per year and the state revenue department’s estimated market rental value of ₹21 crore, raising serious questions about loss to the exchequer and public good.
The petition further accuses the managing company and its directors of diluting the public intent by prioritising membership-based access and leasing out spaces for private events. This alleged commercialisation, they argue, not only undermines equitable access to sports facilities for local citizens but also amounts to a breach of the memorandum of understanding signed with the government. They have urged the court to cancel the land allotment, revoke the 2011 resolution, and direct the state to reclaim the property for its originally intended use.What adds another layer of complexity is the financial distress reported by the company. The Bank of Baroda has already taken SE TransStadia Pvt Ltd to the National Company Law Tribunal over unresolved debts.
Petitioners also allege deteriorating sports infrastructure and minimal actual promotion of sporting activities. Their call for the revocation of their suspensions from the Eka Club adds a personal dimension to the ongoing legal and civic battle.
Justice Aniruddha Mayee, presiding over the matter, has scheduled the next hearing for June 24, leaving the door open for further disclosures and legal arguments. While the matter remains sub judice, it throws into sharp focus the broader issue of accountability in public-private partnerships, especially those concerning urban land use and citizen access to recreational infrastructure.
As Indian cities rapidly urbanise, ensuring transparency and public interest in land allotments—especially in premium urban zones—is not merely a legal necessity but a civic imperative. Ahmedabad’s TransStadia episode may well serve as a litmus test for how state infrastructure policies align with ground realities in a changing urban landscape.
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Gujarat court notice on TransStadia land use
