Srinagar, May 25 (KNS): A major rescue operation was carried out in Jammu and Kashmir’s Gulmarg on Monday after a technical snag halted the Gondola ropeway service mid-air, leaving around 260 tourists stranded inside suspended cable cars, officials said.
The disruption occurred around 2:30 pm when the cable car system developed a fault, forcing dozens of cabins to stop between stations on the popular tourist ropeway, they said.
According to officials, women, children and elderly passengers were among those trapped as rescue teams rushed to the spot and launched evacuation efforts.
Personnel from the Army, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), police, Special Operations Group (SOG), J&K Armed Police and mountain rescue units participated in the operation. Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS) also joined the rescue effort.
Authorities said 63 cabins were affected during the incident. The Gulmarg Gondola system has 108 cabins, each capable of carrying six persons.
As technical teams failed to restore the service immediately, rescuers used rope-based evacuation methods to bring stranded tourists to safety, officials said.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
The operation in the upper section of the ropeway route was challenging because of steep slopes, high altitude and slushy tracks caused by inclement weather, they added.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah directed Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary to reach Gulmarg and supervise the rescue operation.
After reviewing the situation, Choudhary told KNS that all stranded passengers had been evacuated safely.
“Around 260 tourists trapped in 63 cabins have been rescued. The Army, police, SDRF and local volunteers worked together during the operation,” he said.
He said some rescued tourists had to trek downhill due to muddy conditions along the route.
“There is no need for concern. Everyone is safe,” Choudhary added, saying the cause of the technical fault would be determined after a detailed inquiry.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said he was monitoring the situation and had asked the Director General of Police to visit the site.
Police later confirmed that the rescue operation had concluded successfully and no casualties or injuries were reported.(KNS).