The Air Force Sports Complex (AFSC), located inside the Air Force Station on Lok Kalyan Marg, was closed until further orders on Wednesday, leaving hundreds of staff facing an uncertain future and prompting concerns among serving and retired personnel over the loss of a sports and social hub.The development comes against the backdrop of a series of eviction orders issued by the Centre to high-profile institutions in Lutyens’ Delhi, including the Delhi Gymkhana Club, Delhi Race Club, Jaipur Polo Ground and part of the Sujan Singh Park complex this year, citing the requirement of the land for public purpose.Spread over around 30 acres, the AFSC houses a golf course, swimming pool, basketball court, three restaurants, a meeting room and a party hall, among other facilities. It has around 5,000 members. The golf course is among the oldest in the Capital.It is learnt that a survey of the land has been conducted.According to sources, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has asked the relevant authorities to reconsider the decision, pointing out that the land houses not just a golf course but also training and sports facilities for Agniveers. “A decision like this would affect the morale of personnel, particularly those who trained here regularly. The authorities have been requested to reconsider their decision,” a source said.The closure also led to the cancellation of outgoing Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A P Singh’s golfing-out ceremony on Wednesday. The informal tradition brings serving senior officers and retired personnel together to play a round of golf with the outgoing chief.Several members and the staff told The Indian Express that the AFSC administration received a communication on Monday regarding the closure. “Greetings of the day! The Complex will remain closed on 28 Oct from 5.00 am till further orders,” read the message.Story continues below this ad“On Tuesday, the golf course was closed, but restaurants were open to members, and on Wednesday, even the golf course was shut,” a member said.A retired IAF officer and a member of the club, who has been playing at the course for nearly 40 years, said, “When you retire, especially as a senior citizen, such spaces become extremely important because you want somewhere to go to, people to meet and a community to be part of.”“Since the course was inside the Air Force station, one could also visit the clinic to consult a doctor or go to the canteen. All these facilities were part of the larger ecosystem that we had access to,” the member added.Another member expressed concern over the possible implications of the closure for the armed forces. “Many veterans who live in NCR come to play here and have a meal with their former colleagues. Serving personnel also come here with their families. These are among the few perks of serving in the armed forces. Why are you taking them away?” he asked.Story continues below this adThe closure has left the future of hundreds of employees uncertain. Members and staff estimated that more than 300 people could be affected. The complex had three restaurants, two of which were operating on the premises, according to the retired officer.“While there were rumours that the Sports Complex would be shut down, we didn’t believe it. Day before yesterday, we were suddenly told that we should not come to work,” a staff member who works as a caddy on the golf course said.Caddies are paid according to the number of players they assist, earning around Rs 800-1,000 a day, another staff member said. “If they had informed us 10 days ago, or even a week ago, we could have at least started to look for work. What will we do now? How will we find new work so quickly?” the caddy said.The closure is part of a wider government exercise to reclaim land parcels in the vicinity of Lok Kalyan Marg used for defence golf and sports facilities. In August, the Land and Development Office (L&DO) under the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) evicted the Delhi Race Club from its 53-acre premises on Lok Kalyan Marg, citing the requirement of the land for an unspecified public purpose. It also reclaimed the Jaipur Polo Ground from the India Polo Association, citing broader public purposes, governance and defence infrastructure projects.Story continues below this adThe department has also initiated eviction proceedings against the Delhi Gymkhana Club to reclaim its 27-acre premises, citing the need for defence infrastructure. The matter is pending before the court.