New Delhi, Jul 14 (PTI): Delhi High Court has dismissed the Delhi Flying Club’s plea challenging its eviction from Safdarjung Airport here, saying that the place was now known more as a wedding venue than a flying club.

Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw's decision came on the pleas of Aero Club of India Pvt Ltd and Delhi Flying Club challenging the Airport Authority of India's eviction order, directives regarding licence fee and show- cause notices issued to the club for not paying licence fee dues of over Rs 8.3 crore.

Maintaining that no injustice was meted out to the flying club, the court also noted that since the club had no share capital, AAI would have no means to recover the amount if it was later held that the licence fee was recoverable.

In such a situation, if the petitioners' plea to keep in abeyance the increased licence fee was accepted, it would amount to writing off the dues, the court said.

The court said the flying club gives training only on a simulator, so it does not need so much land as it occupies.

”The DFC, for imparting the said training, certainly does not need such kind of valuable land and property in its occupation and qua which I as a resident of the city can say is known more now for the last at least ten years as a marriage/party venue than for its aeronautical activities,” the court said in its 35-page verdict.