Gulmarg, May 26 (KNS): A total of 312 tourists stranded mid-air after the Gulmarg Gondola developed a technical fault were rescued in a coordinated operation led by the High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS) under Major General Puneet Doval, officials said on Tuesday.
The cable car service, one of the world's highest, came to a halt earlier in the day, leaving passengers suspended in approximately 60 to 65 cabins at varying heights.
Maj Gen Doval, Commandant of HAWS, was among the first responders at the site. He established a control centre in coordination with the 19 Division of the Indian Army and the civil administration, officials said.
The rescue operation followed a two-pronged strategy, with teams moving downward from Phase-1 and others advancing upward from the gondola base station. A HAWS team was positioned at the base, where the height differential between the ground and the cable cars was the maximum.
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Rescue teams were assigned specific cabins, enabling the swift evacuation of all stranded tourists. The operation was completed before last light, officials added.
A pregnant woman was also safely rescued by senior HAWS personnel during the operation.
Officials noted that HAWS had recently conducted a contingency drill with the Gulmarg Development Authority, which helped in the smooth execution of the real-time rescue.
The rescue involved multiple agencies, including the Indian Army, HAWS, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Jammu and Kashmir Police, and local volunteers.
No casualties were reported. (KNS)