Chandigarh Sports Department Takes Over Sector 10 Sports Complex from CLTA

The Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association (CLTA) has lost control of the Sector 10 sports complex after the Union Territory sports department accused it of serious lease violations. The takeover, carried out early morning Thursday, comes after a seven-day notice period expired. The complex, designed by Chandigarh's first chief architect, MN Sharma, and chief engineer Kulbir Singh, is now under the custody of the sports department. The Punjab and Haryana high court will hear a public interest litigation (PIL) on Friday regarding the takeover.

Key Takeaways:

• The Chandigarh sports department took possession of the Sector 10 sports complex from the Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association (CLTA) due to lease violations.
• The CLTA was found guilty of subletting parts of the premises, running a cafe without approval, defaulting on lease payments of Rs. 15 lakh, and constructing a hostel inside the complex without clearance.
• The CLTA charged hefty coaching fees while claiming charitable exemptions under Section 12AA of the Income Tax Act, and operated without a GST number, resulting in tax evasion.
• CLTA trained nearly 300 budding players at the facility during its tenure as the center for tennis training in the region.
• The association brought national and international attention to Chandigarh by hosting prestigious Davis Cup ties, including Leander Paes's debut in 1990 against Japan.

Statistics:

• Rs. 15 lakh: The amount of lease payments defaulted by CLTA.
• 300: The number of budding players trained by CLTA at the facility.
• 1990: The year Leander Paes made his debut in a Davis Cup tie against Japan at the Sector 10 sports complex.
• 1993: The year India played a World Group semi-final against Australia at the same venue.

Sources:

• "UT sports department takes over complex from CLTA in Chandigarh." HT Chandigarh.