• Gondola shut for two days for technical inspection
• No injuries reported despite bad weather and suspended cabins
• DGP hails “flawless synergy” among agencies, volunteers,rescue teams
Srinagar :A major tragedy was averted in North Kashmir’s tourist resort of Gulmarg on Monday after a technical fault in the Gulmarg Gondola left hundreds of tourists stranded mid-air, prompting a massive multi-agency rescue operation led by the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Indian Army, SDRF and NDRF.
Following the successful conclusion of the rescue operation at Gulmarg, where around 320 tourists were rescued, the DG-P J&K briefed the joint teams, commending their exemplary efforts and the flawless synergy between SDRF, J&K Police, Army, NDRF, and local public volunteers.
Emphasizing that their swift action averted a major crisis, the DG-P appreciated the unwavering commitment of all brave personnel.
DGP Prabhat said nearly 320 tourists were safely rescued after the cable car service developed a snag around 1:20 PM, suspending operations between the Base Station and Kongdori (Phase-I).
Talking to reporters, the DGP said police received information in the afternoon that several gondola cabins carrying tourists had become stranded following a technical malfunction.
“The first responder was the SHO Gulmarg along with local police and SOG teams, who immediately rushed to the site and initiated rescue measures,” he said.
According to officials, 14 teams of the State Disaster Response Force were rushed to the area, while specialised Armed Police Mountain Rescue teams and Snow Leopard units of J&K Police joined the operation soon after.
Personnel from the Indian Army, National Disaster Response Force and civil administration also participated in the rescue mission.
Authorities said the operation was carried out under challenging conditions, including bad weather, steep terrain and the complexity of evacuating tourists from suspended cabins.
The DGP said the coordinated efforts of all agencies ensured that all stranded tourists were evacuated safely without any injuries or loss of life.
“Today all of you have made J&K Police proud,” Prabhat told rescue personnel while announcing commendation awards for police and rescue teams involved in the operation.
He said personnel who had not previously received the DGP Commendation Disc would be awarded the honour, while others would be considered for additional commendation medals.
Earlier Following the successful conclusion of the rescue operation at Gulmarg, where around 320 tourists were rescued, the DG-P J&K briefed the joint teams, commending their exemplary efforts and the flawless synergy between SDRF, J&K Police, Army, NDRF, and local public volunteers.
Emphasizing that their swift action averted a major crisis, the DG-P appreciated the unwavering commitment of all brave personnel.
Senior police officers, including ADGP Law and Order V. K. Birdi, monitored the rescue operation on the ground. Senior Army officials, civil administration officers and rescue coordinators also supervised evacuation efforts till late evening.
In a statement, an Army spokesperson said The Indian Army and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) on Monday led a massive rescue and evacuation operation after a technical fault in the Gulmarg Gondola cable car system left dozens of cabins stranded between the Base Station and Phase-I (Kongdori) amid adverse weather conditions.
Officials said the malfunction caused a sudden suspension of gondola services, leaving several tourists trapped mid-air and triggering panic among passengers.
Following a distress call from Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Gondola Management Authority, the Indian Army swiftly mobilised rescue teams to the affected area.
According to an official statement, troops from the Butapathri Battalion deployed three Casualty Assistance Teams (CATs) between the Gondola Base Station and Kongdori to assist stranded tourists and coordinate evacuation efforts.
The Army also moved its All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) forward to facilitate rescue operations in the difficult mountainous terrain and prevailing bad weather.
The SDRF, Jammu and Kashmir Police and other civil agencies joined the operation, while additional ATVs were arranged through the Gulmarg ATV Association to strengthen evacuation efforts as restoration of the gondola system was expected to take time.
Major General Manoj Joshi, while giving updates on the operation, said a total of 65 cable cars were affected by the malfunction, including 55 occupied cabins and 10 unoccupied ones.
As per the update issued at 5:40 PM, rescue teams had evacuated 26 cable cars, including 14 cabins from the Phase-I side and 12 from the Base Station side.
Officials said 76 tourists were rescued from the Phase-I side, while another 72 persons were evacuated safely from the Base Station side, taking the total number of rescued passengers to 148 at that stage.
In a later update issued at 6:30 PM, officials said rescue teams had successfully evacuated 32 cable cars.
The number of evacuated tourists rose to 184, including 94 rescued from the Kongdori side and 90 from the Base Station side.
Additional ATVs were arranged through the Gulmarg ATV Association as authorities anticipated delays in restoring the cable car system.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah praised the rescue teams for the successful operation.
“The nation salutes the forces for their valour and skill,” Shah said while applauding disaster response personnel for safely rescuing stranded tourists.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha also hailed the coordinated efforts of the Police, Army, SDRF, NDRF and civil administration in ensuring the safe evacuation of all passengers.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah appreciated the swift response and professionalism displayed during the rescue operation and said the incident would be thoroughly investigated.
“The incident will be examined in detail and responsibility for any lapses will be fixed,” the Chief Minister said.
On the directions of the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary visited Gulmarg to oversee rescue operations, while MLA Gulmarg Pirzada Farooq Ahmad Shah and senior officials remained present at the site.
Officials said most stranded cabins were cleared within hours and the situation remained under control throughout the operation despite panic among tourists.
Meanwhile, authorities announced that the Gulmarg Gondola service will remain suspended on May 26 and 27 for technical maintenance and safety inspections.
Officials said all tickets booked for May 25, 26 and 27 would be refunded in full.
The Gulmarg Gondola, one of Asia’s highest cable car projects and a major tourist attraction in Kashmir, witnesses heavy tourist inflow during the summer season. Authorities said services would resume only after completion of detailed technical checks and safety clearance.
