TN govt proposes 52 acres land for Ooty race course

The Tamil Nadu government on Thursday informed the Madras High Court that it has identified 52 acres of land in Kotagiri in Nilgiris district as an alternative site for the over 100-year-old Ooty race course, whose land is required for public utilities in popular tourist town of Udhagamandalam.

The submission was made by the Nilgiris district collector before a bench comprising justices N Kirubakaran and Abdul Quddhose, which made the suggestion for shifting the entire race course.

The court had mooted the idea while hearing an appeal of the Madras Race Club (MRC), which set up the race course, challenging an attempt by the district administration to take back 1.6 acres of the 54 acres land leased out to the club in the heart of Udhagamandalam, for constructing a parking lot.

The collector informed the court that a 52-acre land parcel in NedugulaII village in Kotagiri Taluk has been identified as an alternative land for the club.

The club said it would agree to the suggestion if it was satisfied with the alternative land offered.

Advocate-General Vijay Narayan submitted that the government would need three weeks' time for giving approval for the proposal.

Recording the same, the bench directed club's officials as well as the district administration to jointly visit the property and file their response by August 28.