SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government, with the help of the Army, police, and SDRF, has launched a major operation to rescue around 300 tourists who were left stranded mid-air after a technical snag halted the Gulmarg Gondola service at the north Kashmir tourist resort of Gulmarg.Chief executive officer (CEO), Gulmarg Development Authority (GDA), Tariq Hussain Naik, said the technical snag occurred around 1pm, and a rescue operation has been underway since then. He said the Army, the Army’s High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS), the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and Jammu and Kashmir Police are monitoring the situation.A sudden technical fault disrupted operations in the first phase of the Gulmarg Gondola, Tariq said. Following the incident, operations in both phases of the Gulmarg cable car service, popularly known as the Gondola, were suspended, he added. The first phase runs from Gulmarg to Kongdoori at an elevation of about 2,600 metres, while the second phase stretches from Kongdoori to Apharwat Peak, reaching an altitude of nearly 3,979 metres.Chief minister Omar Abdullah said, “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 situation is completely under control and there is no cause for panic.”Service providers, including ponywallahs and others, have been engaged to assist in evacuating tourists from the cable car. The government has also rushed doctors and paramedical staff to provide medical assistance to the tourists.Jammu and Kashmir Police said rescue operations are underway at the Gulmarg Gondola following a temporary disruption that stranded several tourists. “Teams from the J&K Police, SDRF, and other emergency services have been mobilized to ensure their safe evacuation,” the police said.Authorities are closely monitoring the situation, and all necessary safety measures are in place. The public is requested to remain calm and avoid sharing unverified information, the police said.
