Srinagar, May 25 (JKNS): The Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir police and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) on Monday led a massive coordinated rescue and evacuation operation after a technical fault in the Gulmarg Gondola cable car system left several tourists stranded mid-air between the Base Station and Phase-1, Kongdori.
According to details available with news agency JKNS, the malfunction caused a sudden suspension of Gondola services, triggering panic among tourists amid adverse weather conditions.
Following a distress call from the Jammu and Kashmir Police and Gondola Management Authority, the Indian Army swiftly mobilized rescue teams towards the affected area.
DGP J&K Nalin Prabhat, IGP Kashmir Vidhi Kumar Birdi, DIG North Kashmir, SSP Baramulla and DG SDRF are personally supervising the Gondola rescue operation from the spot.
Officials said troops from the Butapathri Battalion side-stepped three Casualty Assistance Teams (CATs) between the Gondola Base Station and Phase-1, while the Army also deployed its All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) to facilitate evacuation efforts in the difficult terrain and inclement weather.
The SDRF, Jammu and Kashmir Police and other civil agencies also joined the operation. Additional ATVs were arranged through the Gulmarg ATV Association to strengthen evacuation efforts as restoration of the Gondola system was expected to take time.
As per the latest update received at 1740 hours, around 65 cable cars were affected by the malfunction.
Rescue teams successfully evacuated 14 cable cars from the Phase-1 side, rescuing 76 tourists, while another 12 cable cars were evacuated from the Base Station side, leading to the rescue of 72 more persons.
In total, 148 stranded tourists were safely evacuated through the joint efforts of the Indian Army, SDRF, Jammu and Kashmir Police and other responding agencies.
Technical teams from the Gondola authorities are continuing to assess the exact nature and extent of the malfunction, while rescue and assistance operations remain underway. (JKNS)
