SRINAGAR, May 23 (KNS) : Almost a year after the Pahalgam terror attack left Kashmir’s tourism industry staring at an uncertain season, the Gulmarg Gondola is pulling in crowds once again — with non-local tourists calling the cable car ride to 14,000 feet “a ride like no other.”

 

One of the highest ropeways in the world, the Gondola ascending to Apharwat peak has been recording a steady influx of visitors from Rajasthan, Bengaluru, and Pune, among other states. 

 

“You feel like you’re on top of the world. The snow, the silence, the view — it’s a ride like no other,” Vikram Singh, a tourist from Rajasthan, told Kashmir News Service (KNS).

 

Tourists this season have reported better facilities and systematic handling at the terminal — a departure from the long queues and disorganisation of previous years. “We had heard about long queues, but the arrangements were smooth. Our family, including elderly parents, felt very comfortable,” said Priya Menon from Bengaluru.

 

Officials from the Jammu and Kashmir Cable Car Corporation attributed the growing footfall to operational efficiency. “We have streamlined ticketing and boarding procedures. Tourist feedback indicates the ride is now safer and more organised than before,” a senior official told KNS.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

 

For many visitors, the highlight has been the sight of snow even in late spring, accompanied by the crisp mountain breeze. “I touched snow in May for the first time in my life. The cold air, the bright sun, the white peaks — it’s magical,” said Anjali Deshmukh from Pune. Several tourists said they extended their stay just to take the ride again.

 

The footfall has directly benefited local shopkeepers and pony owners. “Earlier, only hardcore adventurers would come. Now entire families come for the ride, and they buy tea, snacks, souvenirs. My daily earnings have almost doubled,” said Bilal Ahmad Rather.

 

Ghulam Mohammad Dar, a pony owner in Gulmarg for over two decades, put it more starkly: “Earlier, we struggled to get even a few customers. Now, from morning till evening, we are busy. This ride has given us our life back.”

 

Notably, A year after the Pahalgam attack sent shockwaves through the Valley’s travel trade, Gulmarg has done what it has always done — lead from the front. “Gulmarg is the backbone, and it has stood straight again,” an official said.

 

With improved management, better safety, and the lure of snow in summer, the Gondola appears to be pulling Kashmir’s tourism revival — one cable car at a time. (KNS)