The Indian Army and emergency services rescued all tourists stranded on a Gulmarg gondola cable car after a technical fault halted the service [1], [2].
The incident highlights the critical role of military and civil coordination in high-altitude rescue operations where technical failures can leave civilians vulnerable to extreme conditions.
The rescue effort involved a joint operation between the 9 Rajputana Rifles of the Indian Army, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the Jammu & Kashmir Police [1], [2]. These teams worked to evacuate tourists who were left mid-air when the cable car system experienced a mechanical failure [1].
According to reports, the operation concluded at around 8 p.m. [1]. The coordinated effort ensured that all passengers were safely evacuated from the stalled gondolas [2]. Authorities said there were no major injuries resulting from the technical fault or the subsequent rescue process [1].
Gulmarg is a primary tourist destination in Jammu & Kashmir, and its gondola system is one of the highest in the world. The reliance on this infrastructure for transporting visitors to high altitudes means that any technical failure requires immediate and specialized intervention to prevent casualties.
While the specific cause of the technical fault has not been detailed in available reports, the speed of the response by the 9 Rajputana Rifles and the SDRF prevented the situation from escalating as night fell on the mountain [1], [2].
“All stranded tourists were safely evacuated”
This incident underscores the systemic reliance on military assets for civilian disaster management in the rugged terrain of Jammu & Kashmir. The involvement of the 9 Rajputana Rifles alongside the SDRF demonstrates that in high-risk tourist zones, the Indian Army often serves as the primary first responder for technical infrastructure failures.
