On March 19th, 2024, China Business Law Journal officially announced the winners of the Deals of the Year 2023 awards. Thanks to its outstanding significance, complexity, and innovation, the "Chongqing Suburban Railway Bishan to Tongliang Line" project, undertaken by TAHOTA, was selected for the Deals of the Year 2023 list.

Chongqing Suburban Railway Bishan to Tongliang Line project

Key categories: Construction projects; Transportation infrastructure

Legal advisor: TAHOTA Law Firm serves as the legal advisor to the Chongqing Municipal People’s Government

Project leaders: Li Qingyu, Luo Yingfu, Liu Shiying

Key review: The Chongqing Suburban Railway Bishan to Tongliang Line project has an estimated total investment of approximately CNY 8.6 billion. Currently, the civil engineering work has been completed throughout the entire line, with rail laying progress exceeding 33%. This project is the first domestic example of a rail transit project under the PPP+TOD model, aimed at integrating rail transit with the redevelopment of land resources around stations. It uses land development along the rail line to bridge the funding gap for the construction and operation of rail transit, representing a novel exploration in addressing the common issue of subway deficits in Chinese cities.

Under the current legal framework in China, the land supply processes for public projects like rail transit and for commercial and residential uses are governed by different regulations, posing challenges to the implementation of the rail PPP+TOD projects. TAHOTA Law Firm has constructed the legal framework for this project, drafted project contracts, and engaged in negotiation and consultation, facilitating a new attempt at synchronized tendering and implementation of the project.