Gulmarg Gondola Rescue: Army, police evacuate 80 stranded tourists

A swift rescue operation was launched at Gulmarg Gondola after a technical fault left tourists stranded mid-air. The Indian Army, J&K Police, and SDRF have evacuated 80 passengers, with efforts ongoing. All cabins are reported to be intact.

The Indian Army, in coordination with Jammu and Kashmir Police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and local administration, launched a swift rescue operation at Gulmarg on Monday after a technical fault left multiple cabins of the Gondola cable car stranded mid-air with tourists onboard.

Around 80 passengers from 16 cabins have been safely evacuated, while efforts continue to rescue the remaining stranded tourists as authorities confirm that all cabins are intact and the situation is under control.

Coordinated Rescue Operations in Full Swing

In a post on X, the Indian Army wrote, "Large Scale Rescue Operations at Gulmarg Gandola by Trained Teams in Progress. Swift and coordinated rescue efforts by Chinar Corps, Indian Army, and Gulmarg Gandola operators are underway after ropeway cabins got stranded mid-air. 65 cabins were stranded, and till now, 80 passengers from 16 cabins have been safely rescued. Rescue operations for the remaining cabins are in progress. Stay tuned for further updates."

Jammu and Kashmir Police also confirmed that teams from the police, SDRF, and other emergency services have been mobilised for the evacuation. "Rescue operations are underway at the Gulmarg Gondola following a temporary disruption that stranded several tourists. Teams from the J&K Police, SDRF, and other emergency services have been mobilized to ensure their safe evacuation. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation, and all necessary safety measures are in place. The public is requested to remain calm and avoid sharing unverified information," they wrote on X.

Government Monitoring the Situation

Further, authorities confirmed that all cabins remain intact and there is no report of any injury.

The Office of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah stated that the government is closely monitoring the situation and assured that trained rescue teams are on the ground. "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," he said.

Meanwhile, the Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir said that the administration is monitoring the rescue operation. "I'm monitoring the rescue operation for tourists stranded in cable car cabins following a technical fault in Gulmarg. I have directed DGP to proceed to the site. Joint rescue team of Police, Army & SDRF & DC, SSP is conducting the operation to ensure the safety of all tourists," he wrote.

(ANI)

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