Gulmarg Gondola Rescue: Over 300 Tourists Saved After Technical Glitch

In a dramatic incident at Gulmarg, over 300 tourists were stranded mid-air in gondola cabins due to a technical failure. A multi-agency rescue operation lasting seven hours successfully evacuated all passengers, some of whom were suspended nearly 500 feet above the ground. The operation faced challenges from heavy rain, but teams from various agencies worked tirelessly to ensure safety. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Lt Governor Manoj Sinha monitored the situation closely. This incident highlights the risks associated with high-altitude tourism and follows a recent tragedy involving a zipline accident in Agra.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 25, 2026, 21:47 IST

Major Rescue Operation at Gulmarg

Srinagar: A significant incident unfolded when over 300 tourists found themselves stranded for hours in 65 cabins of the renowned Gulmarg Gondola, Asia's highest cable car, due to a major technical failure. This unexpected halt caused considerable alarm among the visitors before they were successfully rescued.

A comprehensive rescue operation, involving multiple agencies, spanned seven hours and ensured the safe evacuation of all individuals, some of whom were suspended nearly 500 feet above the ground, according to officials.

Following the incident, operations for both phases of the cable car service were immediately halted after the malfunction occurred around noon.

The rescue efforts faced challenges due to heavy rainfall in the region, officials reported.

Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Jammu and Kashmir Police, and the Indian Army's Chinar Corps collaborated for hours to ensure the safe retrieval of all passengers.

Rescue teams utilized ropes and ladders to safely bring the tourists down.

"The rescue operation has concluded successfully, and all stranded individuals have been evacuated," an official confirmed this evening.

Earlier, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah stated that his administration was "closely monitoring" the situation.

"All cabins are intact, and trained teams are on the ground conducting rescue operations to safely evacuate the stranded tourists. The situation is fully under control, and there is no need for panic," the chief minister mentioned in a post on X.

Following the chief minister's directives, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary, along with local MLA Farooq Ahmed Shah and senior administrative officials, visited the tourist destination to oversee coordination on the ground.

Officials indicated that the technical extraction protocols took considerable time due to several cabins being suspended at a height of 500 feet.

By late afternoon, 179 tourists had been successfully brought down, with the remaining passengers evacuated in subsequent phases as teams cleared the cabins one by one.

Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha instructed DGP Nalin Prabhat to head to Gulmarg to supervise the rescue efforts.

"I am monitoring the rescue operation for tourists stranded in cable car cabins due to a technical fault in Gulmarg. I have directed the DGP to proceed to the site. Joint rescue teams from the Police, Army, and SDRF, along with DC and SSP, are conducting the operation to ensure the safety of all tourists," Sinha posted on X.

The Army also announced on X that prompt and coordinated rescue efforts were initiated with the support of the Chinar Corps.

The Gulmarg Gondola, recognized as one of the highest cable cars in Asia, has faced technical interruptions in the past, including a temporary suspension in January of the previous year.

A tragic incident occurred on June 25, 2017, when a cabin was struck by an uprooted tree during high winds, resulting in a crash that claimed seven lives.

This recent incident follows a tragic event where a 16-year-old boy died in Agra after a zipline cable snapped at an amusement facility, causing him to fall nearly 45 feet.