Hundreds of tourists were left stranded mid-air on Monday after the Gulmarg Gondola cable car service, one of the world’s highest ropeways, developed a technical fault, officials said.
More than 300 people were trapped inside gondola cabins after the service came to an abrupt halt, prompting a large-scale rescue operation involving the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Jammu and Kashmir Police, the Army and the civil administration.
The Chief Minister’s Office said the government was closely monitoring the situation after the cable car service was temporarily suspended due to a technical snag.
“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,” the office said in a statement.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said he was monitoring the rescue operation and had directed the DGP to proceed to the site and oversee relief efforts.
The Gulmarg Gondola operates in two stages, carrying visitors from Gulmarg to Kongdori at an altitude of about 3,080 metres (10,105 feet) before ascending to the slopes of Apharwat Peak at elevations ranging between 3,950 and 4,200 metres. The rescue operation was underway at the time of filing this report.
Published on May 25, 2026