Punjab Newsline | Gulmarg (Jammu and Kashmir)
Around 300 tourists were left stranded mid-air on Monday after a technical fault occurred in Asia’s highest cable car system—the Gulmarg Gondola. A large-scale rescue operation lasting nearly seven hours successfully brought all passengers to safety.
According to officials, all 65 cable cabins came to a sudden halt around 1:30 pm. Several cabins were reportedly suspended nearly 500 feet above the ground, creating a critical situation for passengers onboard.
Each gondola cabin can carry up to six people. The incident triggered an immediate response from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indian Army, and local police, who jointly carried out the evacuation operation amid heavy rainfall.
By 8:30 pm, the rescue operation was completed. The Indian Army confirmed on X that 179 tourists were evacuated in the first five hours alone. Most passengers, including women, children, and elderly tourists, were brought down safely using ropes and ladders.
The Gulmarg Gondola operates in two phases—first connecting Gulmarg to Kongdoori, and the second extending from Kongdoori to Apharwat peak station. The system comprises a total of 108 cable cars across both routes. The distance between Srinagar and Gulmarg Gondola is around 51 km.
