300 tourists stranded mid-air after technical snag hits Gulmarg gondola; rescue operation underway

As many as 300 tourists from different parts of the country were left stranded mid-air after the gondola service at north Kashmir’s picturesque Gulmarg resort developed a technical snag on Monday.

Amid the ongoing rescue operation, 166 tourists had been rescued till the filing of this report, while efforts were continuing to evacuate the remaining passengers safely.

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah are personally monitoring the rescue operation to ensure the safe evacuation of all stranded tourists.

Special teams of the Army have launched large-scale rescue operations in the area to assist the civil administration.

According to the Northern Command of the Indian Army, “Large-scale rescue operations at the Gulmarg Gondola are being carried out by trained teams. Swift and coordinated rescue efforts by the Chinar Corps of the Indian Army and Gulmarg Gondola operators are underway after ropeway cabins became stranded mid-air.”

“All passengers are safe and the situation is under control. There is no need to panic. As of now, a total of 166 persons have been rescued from 29 cabins,” the Army said.

Officials said nearly 300 tourists were trapped inside the cable cars after the gondola came to a sudden halt due to a technical fault.

Rescue teams comprising personnel from the Army’s 9 Rajputana Rifles, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and the civil administration rushed to the spot and launched evacuation efforts.

The Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) and Tehsildar of Tangmarg also reached the site to supervise the operation.

Eyewitnesses said several tourists, including women and children, panicked after the gondola stopped mid-air. Authorities, however, maintained that the situation was under control and that the evacuation process was progressing smoothly.

Technical teams were also deployed to identify the fault and restore the service.

Soon after the incident, a large-scale rescue operation was launched by personnel of the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, Army Hawaas Camp, and other concerned agencies.

Officials said the SDM and Tehsildar of Tangmarg were personally monitoring the rescue and evacuation process.

LG, CM Monitoring Rescue Operations

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday said he was personally supervising the rescue operation after tourists were stranded in cable car cabins due to a technical fault in the Gulmarg Gondola system.

In a post on X, the Office of the Lieutenant Governor stated that the LG had directed the Director General of Police (DGP) to immediately reach the site and oversee the ongoing rescue efforts.

“I am monitoring the rescue operation for tourists stranded in cable car cabins following a technical fault in Gulmarg. I have directed the DGP to proceed to the site,” the post read.

The LG’s office further stated that a joint rescue operation involving the Jammu and Kashmir Police, the Army, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), the Deputy Commissioner, and the Senior Superintendent of Police was underway to ensure the safe evacuation of all stranded tourists.

It added that all agencies were working in close coordination to ensure the swift and safe completion of the rescue operation.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the government was closely monitoring the situation after the Gulmarg Gondola service was temporarily suspended due to the technical fault.

In a post on X, the Chief Minister’s Office stated that all cable car cabins remained intact and that rescue operations were underway to safely evacuate the stranded tourists, with trained teams deployed on the ground.

“The government is closely monitoring the situation at the Gulmarg Gondola after the cable car service was temporarily halted due to a technical fault. All cabins remain intact, and rescue operations to safely evacuate stranded tourists are underway with trained teams on the ground,” the post read.

The Chief Minister’s Office further assured that the situation was under control and urged the public not to panic, while authorities continued efforts to evacuate all passengers safely.