Gulmarg Gondola Breakdown Leaves 300 Tourists Hanging Mid-Air, Watch Dramatic Rescue Video

About 300 tourists have been left stranded mid-air following a breakdown of the Gulmarg Gondola cable car system in Jammu and Kashmir as a result of a technical problem on Monday. The mishap occurred in Gulmarg, which is a major tourist attraction, whereby several cabins had hung in the air carrying stranded tourists in them for a while before being rescued by rescuers. Many videos that depicted tourists in fear as they were stuck in hanging cabins in the middle of nowhere emerged on social media platforms. This development created chaos among tourists, particularly women and children, amid the peak summer tourism period in Jammu and Kashmir.

Rescue teams rush to Gulmarg after tourists get trapped inside suspended cabins

Reports say that officials said the cable car system, popularly known as the Gondola, came to a sudden halt because of a technical issue. Soon after the service stopped, rescue operations were launched on priority to bring stranded tourists to safety.

Teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) immediately reached the spot. SF Spl CI teams, HAWAS personnel and the Jammu and Kashmir Police also joined the operation. Officials said the Sub-Divisional Magistrate and Tehsildar of Tangmarg personally supervised the rescue efforts at the site.

As per reports, eyewitnesses described scenes of panic after the Gondola unexpectedly stopped mid-air. Several tourists inside the cabins were reportedly anxious as rescue teams coordinated evacuation measures.

Authorities say situation remained under control during evacuation process

Officials maintained that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir remained under control despite the panic among tourists. They said all required safety procedures were followed carefully during the rescue operation.

“A technical issue led to the temporary suspension of the gondola service. Rescue teams were immediately mobilised, and evacuation of stranded tourists was taken up on priority,” an official said, according to reports. 

Authorities also confirmed that technical experts were simultaneously deployed to identify the fault and restore the Gondola operations as early as possible. Officials said all cabins remained structurally safe throughout the incident.

Omar Abdullah’s office says there is no reason for panic

The office of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also reacted to the incident and assured tourists that the administration was closely monitoring the situation.

“Government is closely monitoring the situation at the Gulmarg Gondola after the cable car service was temporarily halted due to a technical fault. 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 statement said.

The Gulmarg Gondola is regarded as one of the world’s highest cable car projects and remains one of the biggest tourist attractions in Jammu and Kashmir. Thousands of tourists visit the site every year, especially during the summer months, making the temporary suspension a major incident at the popular hill destination.

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