A major disaster was averted today as 320 tourists were stranded mid-air for hours after the cable car, popularly known as the Gondola, developed a technical snag in the tourist resort of Gulmarg today.
These tourists were stranded in 65 cabins of the cable car mid-air and it took 8 hours for disaster response teams comprising the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Army, local police, cable car team and the administration to complete the rescue operation.
Home Minister Amit Shah while lauding the multi-agency disaster response said that the nation salutes the forces for their valour and skill.
“Applause to India’s disaster response forces for safely rescuing 300 tourists stranded mid-air in cable cars in Gulmarg, Kashmir. The disaster response teams comprising the SDRF, NDRF, Army personnel, local police, and the administration swung into action and rescued all the passengers stranded in 65 cable cars through a six-hour-long operation. The nation salutes the forces for their valour and skill,” Shah posted on X.
An official said that the heavy rains in the area hampered the rescue operations. He said that the operations of both phases of the Gulmarg cable car service were suspended following a malfunction.
The official said that some of the cabins were hanging at a height of around 500 ft, so evacuating the passengers from these cabins took time.
The official said that this type of snag where gear box was involved has hit the cable car for the first time in 28 years. “There is a spare gear box but it could take at least one day to replace it,” he said.
He said that in other snags the chairs are brought down but in this type of snag the only option was the vertical rescue operation.
He said that Puma engineers have been called and cable car will be made operational after proper safety audit.
Another official said that as Gulmarg Gondola was running beyond the carrying capacity for last year or so and it could be one of the reasons for the snag.
On June 25, 2017, the Gulmarg Gondola had witnessed an accident when seven people were killed after a tree uprooted by strong winds struck a cabin, causing it to crash to the ground.
The cable car had also been temporarily suspended in January last year because of technical issues.
An army spokesman said here that the Indian Army swiftly swung into action and mobilised rescue teams towards the affected area. “Troops from Butapathri Battalion side-stepped three Casualty Assistance Teams (CATs) between the Gondola Base Station and Phase-1, while the Army also staged forward its own All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) to facilitate evacuation efforts in the challenging terrain and prevailing inclement weather conditions,” he said.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha applauded the extraordinary bravery displayed by the disaster response teams in safely rescuing the tourists.
In a post on X, Sinha said: “The nation stands united in applauding extraordinary bravery of disaster response teams, who safely rescued 300 tourists stranded mid-air in Gulmarg’s cable cars. Army, JKP, SDRF, NDRF, DC, SSPs moved promptly & after a 6-hour operation, rescued all passengers from 65 cable cars.”
“All tourists are safe. I spoke with senior officials and directed them to ensure every necessary support is provided. The nation salutes the disaster response forces, Army, JKP and district administration for their valour and remarkable skill,” he further wrote on X.
Earlier, he had directed DGP Nalin Prabhat to proceed to Gulmarg to oversee the rescue operation.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah appreciated the efforts of all agencies, rescue teams and personnel involved in the successful evacuation of tourists.
Omar commended the swift response, coordination and professionalism displayed during the rescue operation, which ensured the safe evacuation of all tourists without any major incident.
He stated that the safety and well-being of tourists and visitors remain the government’s top priority and lauded the coordinated efforts of the administration, police, rescue agencies and technical teams for handling the situation efficiently.
The Chief Minister further said that the incident would be thoroughly examined and an enquiry conducted into the technical fault. He asserted that responsibility for any lapses would be fixed and appropriate action taken accordingly.
Meanwhile, Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat announced commendation awards for police and rescue personnel involved in the successful rescue operation.
Addressing the rescue teams at Gulmarg Gondola, the DGP praised the personnel for carrying out the difficult operation in harsh weather and mountainous terrain.
He said the rescue mission was completed despite major challenges, including rocky terrain, bad weather and the complexity of evacuating people from suspended cable cars.
“Today all of you have made J&K Police proud,” the DGP said while commending the efforts of personnel from police, SOG, J&K Armed Police and SDRF.
He announced that all personnel involved in the operation would be nominated for awards. The DGP said those who have not yet received the DGP Commendation Disc will be awarded the honour, while personnel who have already received it will be considered for other commendation awards.
The DGP said the successful operation reflected the bravery, dedication and professionalism of the rescue teams, who continued the mission despite exhaustion and difficult conditions.
He also congratulated the officers and personnel for safely rescuing stranded tourists and completing the operation successfully late at night.
