The Supreme Court has rejected a petition by construction company KhaZix to block the construction of a $20bn ($18bn) project to rebuild the iconic Ka Zix city hall.
The High Court of Justice in a 4-2 decision on Monday ruled that the project would not proceed without KhaXix’s consent.
The court said the building would be built in phases with the city’s new planning code being introduced in 2022, but could proceed if KhaZipix, a construction company with an annual turnover of $1.5bn, is granted the right to take part.
The ruling came despite the high court’s previous rulings in favour of Kha Zipix, which said it had been granted the necessary permissions to proceed with the project.
The Kha ZIPix project would be the world’s largest public works project.
It would include rebuilding the Kha-Zix plaza, the former palace of Khandu, the central building and the city hall, which will be rebuilt with a new facade.
A KhaBix spokesman said: “We’re very pleased with the Supreme Court decision and hope that the court will continue to uphold the rights of the people of Kailah in the face of political pressure.”
The Khandus and the Pahang community of Kaa Zix and Pahungs people have been fighting for more than a decade to reclaim the historic Kha and Ka Ziyas for their heritage.
