Did Turf Club chief treat Gallops with kid gloves?

Jain refutes members' allegations that he gave unnecessary concessions to Gallops

Jain refutes members' allegations that he gave unnecessary concessions to Gallops

Heard the latest buzz at the Turf?

FRIENDS AGAIN: The Gallops Restaurant at the racecourse. FILE PIC

There's talk that the impasse between Gallops Restaurant and Royal Western India Turf Cub (RWITC) is about to end, with the club 'conceding' to Gallops.

Vivek Jain, RWITC Chairman, has been accused of giving "unnecessary" concessions. Members said he had opposed the same contract two years ago.

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Speaking on condition of anonymity, members said Jain had capitulated on various issues. They said Gallops had claimed damages for not being allowed to use a side lawn (nearly 8,000 sq ft) as per the original contract. It is learnt that a discount of Rs 2 crore, besides other concessions have been offered for the same.

Future tense?

Members are also irked at Gallops' contract being extended to 2020 while the club's lease with BMC ends in 2013.

The members said that Gallops, already a defaulter of contract terms, is being given exclusive rights to cater for the three different lawns, none of which was under the purview of their agreement.

Irked members asked what was wrong with an earlier contract during earlier chairman Dr Cyrus Poonawalla's tenure which Jain objected to, and by which the club would earn more.

"Today, by giving away the contract cheaper to the same party, he is selling the club," a member said.

The Other Side

A livid Jain said he was never opposed to Gallops as such, rather to the decision to give rights to Gallops on grounds of lack of "process and transparency followed by the committee in ignoring bids of other competitive offers, who had not even been called for discussions".

Jain said the club could not afford to continue with litigation and has made a u00a0deal with Gallops in the club's best interest, after seeking legal opinion in the matter.

"During the last few weeks, I had a fresh round of negotiations with representatives of BJRs. I negotiated these with them which got the committee's approval by an 8-1 majority," said Jain. "It is falsely alleged that the club has granted monopoly catering rights to BJRs. No such right has been given..."

Jain said that in 2013, if BMC does not extend the club's lease, rights to run Gallops automatically expire.

He said his political detractors were trying to discredit him. "These are u00a0the people responsible for giving the contract to BJR in a mala fide manner and on a platter."