PTI
Srinagar
Over 300 tourists were left stranded mid-air for hours inside 65 cabins of the famous Gulmarg Gondola cable car after a major technical snag halted Asia’s highest ropeway, causing panic among the holidayers before they were
safely rescued.
A massive, multi-agency operation that lasted seven hours ensured the evacuation of all the people, some of whom were trapped in cabins dangling nearly 500 ft above the ground, officials said, adding that rescue efforts were hampered by heavy rain in the area.
Operations for both phases of the cable car service were immediately suspended following the glitch, which occurred
around noon.
Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Indian Army’s Chinar Corps worked jointly, using ropes and ladders to bring the tourists down safely.
“The rescue operation has concluded and all the stranded persons have been evacuated safely,” an official said this evening, adding that no casualties
were reported.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah lauded the role of disaster response forces. Abdullah said that an investigation will be conducted into the incident and action would be taken if any lapses were found.
“Applause to India’s disaster response forces for safely rescuing 300 tourists stranded mid-air in cable cars in Gulmarg, Kashmir,” Shah said on ‘X’. “The nation salutes the forces for their valour and skill,” he said.
In a post on X, the office of J&K Chief Minister said: “The incident will be thoroughly examined and an inquiry conducted. Responsibility for any lapses will be fixed and appropriate action taken.” “He (CM) commended the swift response, coordination and professionalism displayed during the rescue operation, which ensured the safe evacuation of all tourists,” it said.
Earlier, Chief Minister Abdullah had said his government was “closely monitoring” the situation.
On the instructions of the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary, accompanied by local MLA Farooq Ahmed Shah and senior administrative officials, visited the tourist resort to oversee the ground coordination.
Officials said that since several cabins were hanging at a height of 500 ft, technical extraction protocols took considerable time. By late afternoon, 179 tourists had been brought down, with the remaining passengers safely evacuated in subsequent phases as teams cleared the cabins one by one.
Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha said he had directed DGP Nalin Prabhat to proceed to Gulmarg to oversee the rescue operation.
The Army said in a post on X that swift and coordinated rescue efforts were launched with the assistance of the Chinar Corps.
The Gulmarg Gondola, one of the highest cable cars in Asia, has experienced technical halts in the past, including a temporary suspension in January last year.
A major tragedy occurred on June 25, 2017, when an uprooted tree struck a cabin during high winds, leading to a crash that claimed seven lives.
Monday’s incident comes a day after a 16-year-old boy died in Agra after a zipline cable snapped at an amusement facility, causing him to fall nearly 45 ft.
