Current court cases that have been filed with regards to the proposed takeover and face-lifting of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) are ill-timed, this is according to Adani Airport Holdings Limited.

In a replying affidavit on Tuesday, September 17, the Indian firm dismissed claims that JKIA had already been leased for 30 years, insisting that the project has not been approved and is still at the review and due diligence stage.

According to court documents, Adani Holdings paid $50,000 (about KSh6.47 million) review fee to the Kenyan government, as stipulated by law, in a bid to bag the $1.85 billion (KSh242 billion) project.

“Upon submission of the Privately Initiated Proposal (PIP), the 5th respondent (Adani Airport Holdings Limited) duly paid a review fee of USD 50,000 to the Public Private Partnership Facilitation Fund as required by the law,” the court documents read in part. “The 5th respondent also provided all the necessary pre-approval documents including incorporation and corporate documents, tax compliance documents and financial documents to aid the PPP (Public Private Partnership) Directorate, in coordination with KAA, to carry out their due diligence on the proponent.”

While responding to a case filed by the Kenya Human Rights Commission and the Law Society of Kenya on Tuesday, September 17, one Alok Patni dismissed as false information contained in the petitions against the JKIA deal.

The Adani Group, however, says they have great plans of transforming JKIA into a modern hub of their proposal is approved. In the court documents, the group detailed how the project will be delivered.

The group envisions to establish a new terminal building as well as refurbish the existing terminal buildings. This is meant to increase the passenger capacity of the national airport.

Adani also intends to work on the airside pavements and construct new taxiways.