Gulmarg Gondola Scare Ends, around 400 Tourists Rescued Mid-Air as Dy CM also visits site
Srinagar, May 25: A rescue operation launched after a technical snag halted the Gulmarg Gondola service on Monday concluded successfully, with all stranded tourists evacuated safely, officials said.
Officials said that around 400 tourists were stranded mid-air after the cable car service developed a technical fault, forcing suspension of operations at the famous ski resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
Soon after the incident, rescue teams comprising personnel from the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, SDRF and the civil administration rushed to the spot and launched a large-scale evacuation operation.
Senior officials, including Nalin Prabhat and V. K. Birdi, reached Gulmarg to oversee the rescue efforts.
Army officials, including Punit Doval, Manoj Dattatrey Joshi, M. B. Singh and S. K. Yadav, also monitored the operation on the ground.
Eyewitnesses said several tourists, including women and children, panicked after the gondola stopped abruptly mid-air. However, officials said the evacuation was carried out in a coordinated manner and all tourists were brought to safety without any injuries.
Meanwhile, on the instructions of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary visited Gulmarg to personally oversee the rescue operations following the temporary stoppage of the Gondola service due to a technical fault.
MLA Gulmarg Pirzada Farooq Ahmed Shah, along with senior administrative and police officers, was also present on the site monitoring the situation closely and coordinating the rescue efforts.
The Jammu and Kashmir Government is closely monitoring the situation at the Gulmarg Gondola after the cable car service was temporarily halted due to a technical issue. Officials informed that all cabins remain intact and trained rescue teams are actively engaged on the ground to safely evacuate the stranded tourists.
The Deputy Chief Minister reviewed the ongoing rescue measures and directed all concerned agencies to ensure swift, coordinated and safe evacuation of the remaining passengers.
Authorities said that the majority of the stranded cabins have already been cleared and every effort is being made to safely evacuate those still awaiting rescue.
The Government has assured that the situation is completely under control and there is no cause for panic.
