J-K: Hundreds of tourists stranded mid-air after tech snag hits Gulmarg cable car; Rescue operation underway
Gulmarg (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], May 25, 2026 (ANI): The Indian Army, in coordination with Jammu and Kashmir Police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and local administration, launched a swift rescue operation at Gulmarg on Monday after a technical fault left multiple cabins of the Gondola cable car stranded mid-air with tourists onboard.
Around 80 passengers from 16 cabins have been safely evacuated, while efforts continue to rescue the remaining stranded tourists as authorities confirm that all cabins are intact and the situation is under control.
In a post on X, the Indian Army wrote, "Large Scale Rescue Operations at Gulmarg Gandola by Trained Teams in Progress. Swift and coordinated rescue efforts by Chinar Corps, Indian Army, and Gulmarg Gandola operators are underway after ropeway cabins got stranded mid-air. 65 cabins were stranded, and till now, 80 passengers from 16 cabins have been safely rescued. Rescue operations for the remaining cabins are in progress. Stay tuned for further updates."
Jammu and Kashmir Police also confirmed that teams from the police, SDRF, and other emergency services have been mobilised for the evacuation.
"Rescue operations are underway at the Gulmarg Gondola following a temporary disruption that stranded several tourists. Teams from the J&K Police, SDRF, and other emergency services have been mobilized to ensure their safe evacuation. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation, and all necessary safety measures are in place. The public is requested to remain calm and avoid sharing unverified information," they wrote on X.
Further, authorities confirmed that all cabins remain intact and there is no report of any injury.
The Office of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah stated that the government is closely monitoring the situation and assured that trained rescue teams are on the ground.
"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," he said.
Meanwhile, the Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir said that the administration is monitoring the rescue operation.
"I'm monitoring the rescue operation for tourists stranded in cable car cabins following a technical fault in Gulmarg. I have directed DGP to proceed to the site. Joint rescue team of Police, Army & SDRF & DC, SSP is conducting the operation to ensure the safety of all tourists," he wrote. (ANI)100% Progress Mandated
He reiterated that all Principal Census Officers, including Deputy Commissioners and Municipal Commissioners, must ensure 100% completion of Houselisting Block (HLB) operations within their jurisdictions without compromise on data quality or timelines.
“Strict monitoring at every level is essential to ensure timely and accurate completion of Census Phase-I,” Brar said.
Expressing concern for field personnel, Brar directed all officers to strictly implement heatwave advisories for enumerators and supervisors engaged in outdoor duties, ensuring both safety and continuity of operations.He further directed senior officials to conduct regular and surprise field inspections to verify ground-level accuracy.
“Surprise inspections are critical to ensure completeness, accuracy, and quality of census data. Field teams are working under challenging weather conditions, and proper supervision will safeguard both personnel and data integrity,” he said.
The Administrative Secretary emphasized that the Local Government Department is working in close coordination with census authorities to ensure a flawless, legally compliant, and highly accurate housing mapping exercise across Punjab.