A major emergency situation unfolded in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday after a technical malfunction struck the Gulmarg Gondola, the world’s third-highest cable car ropeway, leaving more than 300 tourists stranded mid-air.
The incident occurred at around 2:30 pm when the ropeway service reportedly developed a technical fault, causing several cabins to halt between stations. The stranded passengers included women, children and elderly tourists, with many reportedly panicking inside the suspended cable cars.
Officials said rescue efforts were launched immediately after the malfunction was detected. Out of the affected cabins, around 10 were safely evacuated, with several passengers brought down using rope-based rescue techniques.
Authorities said the affected phase of the ropeway includes 62 cabins, while the entire Gulmarg Gondola system consists of 108 cable cars. Each cabin has the capacity to carry up to six passengers.
Technical teams initially attempted to restore the service and resolve the issue at the site, but the fault could not be rectified immediately. Following this, Fire and Emergency Services personnel, along with teams from the Army, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), were deployed for a large-scale rescue operation.
Officials stated that rescue operations in Phase-2 of the route are proving particularly difficult because of the higher altitude and challenging terrain conditions in the area.
Authorities also warned that the evacuation process could continue late into the night as rescue teams work to safely bring down all stranded tourists from the suspended cabins.
