SRINAGAR: A swift and coordinated rescue operation successfully evacuated 184 tourists who were stranded in the Gulmarg Gondola cable car system on Monday. The incident occurred due to a technical malfunction that halted operations between the Base Station and Phase-1 (Kongdori) in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, compounded by adverse weather conditions.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that the Indian Army, alongside the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Jammu and Kashmir Police, and the civil administration, mobilized to address the situation after a distress call was received. Troops from the Butapathri Battalion deployed Casualty Assistance Teams (CATs) between the Gondola Base Station and Phase-1. The Army also utilized its All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) to aid in the evacuation across the challenging terrain and unfavorable weather.
The Gulmarg Gondola Association provided additional ATVs to support the rescue efforts, as the restoration of the cable car system was anticipated to be a time-consuming process. Officials reported that approximately 300 tourists were initially stranded across both phases of the Gondola service after the malfunction. Fortunately, no injuries or casualties were reported during the incident.
An official statement from the Army indicated that 65 cable cars were affected by the technical fault. Rescue teams working from the Phase-1 side managed to evacuate 17 cable cars, safely bringing down 94 tourists. Concurrently, 15 cable cars were evacuated from the Base Station side, resulting in the rescue of another 90 individuals. The comprehensive evacuation of 184 stranded tourists was achieved through the collaborative efforts of the Indian Army, SDRF, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and other responding agencies, according to GOC 19 Div Maj Gen Manoj Joshi.
Technical experts from the Gondola authorities were engaged in assessing the precise nature and scope of the malfunction, while rescue and restoration work continued into the evening. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha stated that he was personally overseeing the situation and had been in communication with Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo regarding the ongoing rescue operation. Mr. Sinha further directed Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat to proceed to Gulmarg to supervise the mission.
In a statement on X, formerly Twitter, Lieutenant Governor Sinha confirmed his monitoring of the rescue, noting the joint operation by the Police, Army, and SDRF, alongside the Deputy Commissioner and Senior Superintendent of Police, to ensure tourist safety. He emphasized that the situation was under control and there was no cause for panic.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
