Panic as Gulmarg Gondola Grinds to a Halt Mid‑Air

The sudden stoppage of the gondola, particularly along the stretch between the Base Station and Phase‑I at Kongdoori, triggered scenes of distress among those trapped inside the cabins. Many passengers, including families and first‑time visitors, were left stranded at considerable heights for an extended period, with reports of tourists crying, panicking, and pleading for immediate rescue as uncertainty loomed over their safety.

Late Monday evening, the authorities announced that all over 300 stranded tourists have been rescued from 65 cabins by trained teams and that "all the passengers are safe".

Officials said the malfunction brought the entire system to a standstill, freezing dozens of cabins in place and stranding nearly 300 people. The situation was further aggravated by inclement weather and difficult terrain, complicating rescue efforts. According to initial assessments, as many as 65 cable cars were affected by the disruption, underscoring the scale of the incident.

A large‑scale rescue and evacuation operation was immediately launched involving multiple agencies, including the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the civil administration. Personnel from the Army’s Butapathri Battalion swiftly mobilised three Casualty Assistance Teams (CATs) to the affected zone, while All‑Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) were deployed to navigate the rugged landscape and assist in evacuating stranded passengers. Additional ATVs were arranged through local associations to bolster the operation, especially as restoration of the gondola system was expected to take time, officials said.

Rescue teams worked in a coordinated and systematic manner to bring passengers to safety. Officials confirmed that 17 cable cars from the Phase‑I side were successfully evacuated, rescuing 94 tourists, while another 15 cabins from the Base Station side were cleared, leading to the safe evacuation of 90 more individuals. In total, 184 stranded passengers had been rescued at the time of the last reports, with efforts continuing to ensure that every individual was brought down safely. Despite the tense circumstances, authorities emphasised that all cabins remained structurally intact and stable throughout the ordeal, and no injuries or casualties were reported.

Senior civil and police officials, including the Sub‑Divisional Magistrate (SDM) and Tehsildar of Tangmarg, rushed to the site to supervise the operation, while additional rescue teams from Srinagar were deployed to reinforce ongoing efforts. Technical experts from the Gondola management authority simultaneously began diagnosing the fault to determine the cause and expedite restoration.

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said he was personally monitoring the situation and had directed the Director General of Police, Nalin Prabhat to proceed to Gulmarg to oversee the rescue mission. In a statement, he said a joint team comprising the police, Army, SDRF, and district administration officials—including the Deputy Commissioner and Senior Superintendent of Police—was working on a war footing to ensure the safety of all stranded tourists. He added that safety measures at the site had been intensified as a precaution.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also stated that the government was closely tracking developments. In a message shared on social media, he reassured the public that trained teams were on the ground and that the situation was fully under control. He urged people not to panic, reiterating that all necessary precautions were being taken and that the evacuation process was progressing efficiently.

The Gulmarg Gondola, jointly operated by the J&K government and a French engineering firm, is one of the region’s most iconic tourist attractions and is ranked among the world’s highest and longest cable car systems. The two‑stage ropeway carries around 600 passengers per hour from the base station to Kongdoori and further towards the slopes of Apharwat Peak, with elevations reaching close to 4,000 metres. The second phase alone consists of 36 cabins supported by 18 towers, making it a vital component of Gulmarg’s tourism infrastructure.

As rescue operations continued into the evening, officials reiterated that their foremost priority remained the safe evacuation of all stranded passengers. Restoration of normal services, they said, would only be undertaken after a thorough technical inspection and complete resolution of the malfunction, ensuring that safety standards are fully met before operations resume.

The Chief Minister appreciated the efforts of all agencies, rescue teams and personnel involved in the successful evacuation of tourists. He commended the swift response, coordination and professionalism displayed during the rescue operation, which ensured the safe evacuation of all tourists.

The Chief Minister further stated that the incident will be thoroughly examined and an enquiry conducted. "Responsibility for any lapses will be fixed and appropriate action taken", he said.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah commended India’s disaster response teams for successfully rescuing over 300 tourists who were left stranded mid-air following a technical malfunction in the Gulmarg Gondola.

In a post on 'X', Shah lauded the swift and coordinated efforts of the rescue personnel. “Applause to India’s disaster response forces for safely rescuing 300 tourists stranded mid-air in cable cars in Gulmarg, Kashmir,” he wrote.

The operation, which lasted nearly six hours, was carried out jointly by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Army personnel, local police, and the civil administration. All passengers trapped in 65 cable cars were evacuated safely.

Shah noted that the rescue teams acted promptly and demonstrated exceptional courage and professionalism throughout the mission. “The nation salutes the forces for their valour and skill,” he added.