Mid-air panic as Gulmarg ropeway stops suddenly

Hundreds of tourists, who embarked on a Gondola ride to soak themselves in the breathtaking views of the snow-capped mountains in picturesque Gulmarg, suddenly found themselves hanging mid-air, inside precariously dangling cabins of one of the world’s highest cable cars, as the same developed a technical snag Monday afternoon, prompting the authorities to launch rescue operations.

No tourists aboard the cable car were injured, as rescue concluded amid inclement weather conditions. According to official sources, over 300 tourists were left stuck inside 65 cabins of the Gulmarg ropeway, forcing the suspension of both phases of operations around 12.30 pm. "The rescue operation has concluded and all the stranded persons have been evacuated safely," an official said, adding that no casualties were reported.

Personnel from the Indian Army, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and Jammu and Kashmir Police were stationed in the area to coordinate evacuation efforts.

The Army personnel, along with rescue teams, climbed towers and crawled using the cable car ropes to reach the hanging cabins. From there, the soldiers shifted the tourists using trained rescue techniques.

In most of the cases, ropes and ladders were used by the rescue teams to evacuate the tourists. A large number of local civilians engaged in the tourist-related activities, also chipped in to provide comfort to the stranded tourists and escort them safely from the slopes in pitch-dark conditions.

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha also reviewed the situation and directed the Director General of Police, Nalin Prabhat, to reach Gulmarg and supervise the ongoing operation. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the government was closely monitoring the situation. He also announced that the incident will be thoroughly examined during a fresh enquiry.

"Applause to India's disaster response forces for safely rescuing 300 tourists stranded mid-air in cable cars in Gulmarg, Kashmir," Union Home Minister Amit Shah posted on 'X'. "The nation salutes the forces for their valour and skill," he added.