Indian security forces and police rescued hundreds of tourists stranded mid-air after a technical fault halted the Gulmarg Gondola cable-car service on Monday [1], [2].
The incident highlights the operational risks of high-altitude tourism infrastructure in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Because the gondola is a primary attraction for the region, any mechanical failure poses a significant safety risk to large volumes of visitors.
The rescue operation involved a coordinated effort between the Jammu and Kashmir Police, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the Indian Army's 9 Rajputana Rifles [1], [2], [3]. Rescuers worked to evacuate passengers from cabins that had stopped due to a technical snag [1], [2].
Reports on the total number of people rescued vary across sources. One report said that 286 tourists were evacuated [1], while another indicated the number was over 300 [2]. A third report noted that 80 tourists were evacuated [3].
The operation lasted approximately 6.5 hours [1] and concluded around 8 p.m. on Monday [1]. The multi-agency response was required to ensure all passengers were safely brought down from the mountain slopes.
Nalin Prabhat, the Director General of Police for Jammu and Kashmir, praised the coordination of the emergency services. "It is a proud moment for me to stand with the teams of rescuers," Prabhat said [3].
The technical failure left passengers suspended in cabins over the rugged terrain of the hill station. The collaboration between the military and civil police was essential to manage the evacuation under challenging conditions, a necessity given the steep elevation of the Gulmarg site [1], [2].
“The rescue operation involved a coordinated effort between the Jammu and Kashmir Police, the SDRF, and the Indian Army.”
The variance in reported rescue numbers suggests a lack of immediate, centralized data during the crisis, which is common in large-scale emergency evacuations. However, the successful coordination between the Indian Army and local police demonstrates the high level of security readiness in the region, where military assets are often integrated into civil disaster response to manage risks in difficult terrain.
