The operation was able to evacuate all the people, some of whom were trapped in cabins hanging about 500 feet above the ground.
The famous Gulmarg Gondola cable car in Jammu and Kashmir state suffered a technical malfunction on Monday, leaving more than 300 tourists stranded mid-air for hours in 65 cabins on Asia’s highest cable car route. Resulting in a massive seven-hour multi-agency rescue operation.
The operation ensured the evacuation of all people, some of whom were trapped in dangling cabins nearly 500 feet above the ground, PTI reported, citing officials, who said heavy rains in the area hampered rescue efforts.
Operations on both stages of the cable car service were suspended immediately following the disruption that occurred around noon.
The rescue operation lasted 7 hours
Difference from The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Indian Army’s Chinar Corps worked together, using ropes and ladders to bring down the tourists safely.
Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat said that the rescue team of the cable car project, with the help of local residents and personnel from Gulmarg police station, were among the first responders, PTI quoted Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat as saying.
“Later, a total of 15 teams of the Indian Self-Defense Forces and the Armed Police Mountain Rescue Force launched a major operation. The Indian Army and the National National Rescue Force helped them, and we rescued all the stranded people,” he said, adding that about 320 people were evacuated from the cable car’s suspended cabins.
While most of the stranded people got off, 45 people who were not fit enough were carried on stretchers, he said.
The whole process took about 7 hours.
Based on the instructions of the Prime Minister Omar Abdullah, Deputy Chief Minister Surender Kumar Chaudhary, accompanied by local MLA Farooq Ahmad Shah, rushed to the tourist resort to supervise the rescue operation.
By late afternoon, 179 tourists had been disembarked, with the remaining passengers safely evacuated in stages while teams disinfected cabins one by one, officials told PTI.
“The rescue operation has ended and all the stranded people have been evacuated safely,” DGP Prabhat told reporters in Gulmarg.
Kashmir District Inspector General of Police VK Birdi said it was a coordinated rescue operation.
Who said what?
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha praised the role of the disaster response forces.
Abdullah said that an investigation will be opened into the incident, and action will be taken if any lapses are found.
In a post on the website
The office added: “(CM) praised the rapid response, coordination and professionalism demonstrated during the rescue operation, which ensured the safe evacuation of all tourists.”
Earlier, Abdullah said that his government was “closely monitoring” the situation, and there was no reason to panic.
Amit Shah said on Channel
He added: “The nation salutes the forces for their bravery and skill.”
LG Manoj Sinha said he directed the DGP to go to Gulmarg to supervise the rescue operation.
The Deputy Governor said the nation stands united in paying tribute to the extraordinary courage of the disaster response teams. He added that all passengers were rescued safely.
“I have spoken to senior officials and directed them to ensure all necessary support is provided. The nation salutes the disaster response forces, army, RJD and district administration for their remarkable courage and skill,” Sinha added.
The Army on X praised the assistance provided by the Chinar Corps in the quick and coordinated rescue efforts.
Previous accidents
Gulmarg Gondola is the highest cable car service in Asia. The service has seen technical interruptions in the past, including a temporary suspension in January of last year.
A major tragedy occurred on June 25, 2017, when an uprooted tree collided with a hut during high winds, causing an accident that claimed the lives of seven people.
Monday’s accident comes a day after a 16-year-old boy died in Agra after a zipline cable broke at an entertainment facility, causing him to fall from a height of nearly 45 feet.
Shivam Pratap Singh is a digital journalist who works as Deputy Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times. Having previously worked with different platforms covering national, international as well as sports events, he blends different topics to make news articles easier to read for the benefit of the reader. Shivam holds a Master’s degree in International Relations from Jamia Millia Islamia University, bringing a unique perspective to everything happening around the world. An avid reader, he can be seen immersed in books and bookstores when he is not working. Shivam treats every topic almost equally but likes to be right about India’s foreign affairs and politics. He has more than half a decade of experience in digital journalism, although his career began in print.Read more
