Army, SDRF, J&K Police, admin lead rescue

Gulmarg, May 25: The Army, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), J&K Police and civil administration on Monday launched a major rescue and evacuation operation after a technical fault in the Gulmarg Gondola cable car system disrupted services between the Base Station and Phase-1 (Kongdori), leaving scores of tourists stranded mid-air.

Officials said the malfunction led to suspension of the Gondola service, affecting 65 cable cars, including 55 occupied cabins carrying tourists and 10 unoccupied cabins.

A spokesman of the Army said that following a distress call from Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Gondola Management Authority, the Army swiftly mobilised rescue teams to the affected area to assist in evacuation efforts amid difficult terrain and inclement weather conditions.

He said that troops from the Butapathri Battalion deployed three Casualty Assistance Teams between the Gondola Base Station and Phase-1.

The spokesman said that the Army also moved its All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) to support evacuation operations.

He said that the SDRF, Police, and other civil agencies simultaneously joined the rescue efforts, while additional ATVs were arranged through the Gulmarg ATV Association to augment the operation as restoration of the cable car system was expected to take time.

Major General Manoj Joshi, General Officer Commanding (GOC) 19 Infantry Division, reviewed the rescue operation and said teams carried evacuation and assistance efforts on the ground.

Meanwhile, technical teams from the Gondola authorities are assessing the exact cause and extent of the malfunction.