Nearly 300 tourists stranded in mid-air after Gulmarg Gondola develops technical fault

Gulmarg Gondola glitch leaves hundreds of tourists stranded, Army launches mega rescue

Nearly 300 tourists were stranded mid-air after the Gulmarg Gondola cable car service in Jammu and Kashmir developed a technical fault on May 25, triggering a major rescue operation by the Army, police and civil administration. Officials said evacuation efforts were underway and the situation remained under control.

Gulmarg Gondola cable car service in Jammu and Kashmir was temporarily suspended on Monday after a technical fault left nearly 300 tourists stranded mid-air inside multiple cabins, triggering a large-scale rescue operation involving the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and civil administration officials.

Officials says that the cable car service, popularly known as the Gulmarg Gondola, came to a sudden halt due to a technical issue, trapping tourists inside multiple cabins suspended mid-air and causing panic among visitors.

Following the incident, rescue teams comprising personnel from the Army’s 9 Rajputana Rifles unit, Jammu and Kashmir Police and local administration rushed to the site and launched evacuation operations. The Sub-Divisional Magistrate and Tehsildar of Tangmarg also reached the spot to supervise the rescue efforts and monitor the situation.

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The officials add that technical experts were simultaneously deployed to identify the fault and restore operations at the earliest. 

“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,” says Omar Abdullah, Chief Minister, J&K.