The most important link to connect Kashmir directly with the national rail network and the two ends of the world's highest rail bridge were connected on Saturday, performing the 'Golden Joint' ceremony. This rare achievement in the history of engineering was celebrated amidst fireworks, national anthem and slogans of Bharat Mata Ki Jai. Under the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link project, the Kodi and Bakkal railway stations are interlinked as soon as the final arch of the bridge is connected at a height of 359 meters above the surface of the Chenab river. This bridge is 30 meters higher than the Eiffel Tower in Paris. However, 98 per cent of the construction of the bridge is now complete, which will be completed in December. 

1,436 crore rupees are to be spent on the highest bridge in the railway history of the world, including the Indian Railways. The total length of the bridge built on 17 pillars is 1315 meters. On Saturday, a tricolor rally was taken out at the spot before the bridge arch was attached. The rally, which started from Kodi's side, reached the place where the arch was added, where Bharat Mata was chanted as soon as the arch was joined. Northern Railway CAO SP Mahi was mainly present on the occasion. 

Giridhar Raj Gopalan, deputy managing director of Afkans Infrastructure, and SM Vishwamurthy, project manager, said that the work on the bridge would be completed by the end of this year. The company took the task of building the bridge as a challenge, in which every material has been made earthquake resistant by applying the best. The work of interconnecting the over arch was completed on Saturday.

There was a great enthusiasm among the employees along with the officials of Afkans when the arch was added. The tricolor was installed on both sides of the bridge. Simultaneously, three colored balloons were released in the sky as soon as the arc was joined. The employees said that the name of those who built this bridge will be written in history. The world's highest railway bridge built on the Chenab river is another wonder of the world, which the world will come to see. Colorful flowers were thrown in the air as soon as the arch was joined and fireworks were celebrated.

1300 workers and 300 engineers are working day and night to give shape to the highest rail bridge of Niya. The work on the under-construction bridge in the 111-km-long Katra-Banihal section started in the year 2004, but had to be halted in 2008-09 due to incessant strong winds. Even winds of up to 260 kmph will not be able to affect the bridge being built for a period of 120 years. The tricolor was also hoisted on the highest rail bridge along with the Golden Point ceremony.