Hundreds of tourists were rescued safely on Monday after the Gulmarg Gondola cable car service in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district developed a technical snag, leaving passengers stranded mid-air for several hours and forcing suspension of operations, officials said.
According to authorities, nearly 300 tourists were trapped inside multiple cabins after the gondola system suddenly came to a halt due to a technical fault. A large-scale rescue operation was immediately launched involving teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Jammu and Kashmir Police, Army and local civil administration.
Officials said the malfunction affected both phases of the Gulmarg Gondola, one of Kashmir’s most popular tourist attractions. Despite the disruption, all cabins remained stable throughout the incident and no injuries were reported.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the administration was closely monitoring the situation and assured tourists that there was “no cause for panic”. In a statement, the Chief Minister’s Office said trained rescue teams were on the ground and the situation was completely under control.
Technical experts were deployed to identify the fault and restore operations of the ropeway system. Eyewitnesses said panic spread among tourists, including women and children, after the cable cars stopped mid-air, but rescue personnel managed to evacuate everyone safely.
Located around 52 kilometres from Srinagar, Gulmarg is one of India’s premier ski resorts and among Kashmir’s biggest tourist destinations, known for its snow-covered slopes, pine forests and scenic meadows. Situated at an altitude of about 2,650 metres above sea level, the resort attracts lakhs of visitors every year during both summer and winter seasons.
Built by French company Pomagalski and operated by the Jammu and Kashmir Cable Car Corporation, the Gulmarg Gondola is considered one of the highest and longest cable car projects in the world. The two-phase ropeway carries tourists from Gulmarg to Kongdori at around 3,080 metres and further to the slopes of Apharwat Peak at elevations between 3,950 and 4,200 metres, offering panoramic views of the Himalayan ranges and areas near the Line of Control on clear days.
The gondola remains a major attraction for skiing, snowboarding and other winter sports in Kashmir. The latest incident also revived memories of the 2017 Gulmarg Gondola tragedy, when seven people, including four tourists from Delhi, were killed after a tree uprooted by strong winds fell on the ropeway, causing a cabin to crash. Several others had remained stranded mid-air for hours before being rescued.
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