More than 200 tourists onboard the suspended cabins of Asia’s highest cable car (13,054 ft. to 13,780 ft.) were rescued following dramatic efforts over several hours in the north Kashmir hill station of Gulmarg.
Rescue operations were launched on Monday (May 25, 2026) afternoon after the cable car developed a technical snag, leaving the 65 cabins dangling. Panic gripped the stranded tourists as the weather turned inclement, with strong winds and rains lashing Gulmarg.
The rescue operation lasted over four hours, and ensured the safety of all the tourists, officials said. Technical teams were assessing the nature and extent of the malfunction, they added. The cabins are slung on cables of highly tensile strength, which move continuously.
“Over 200 stranded tourists were rescued by State Disaster Response Force personnel, elite J&K Police ‘Snow Leopards’ teams, and personnel of the J&K armed police, including 14 mountain rescue teams. The Indian Army’s 9 Rajputana Rifles, and the High Altitude Warfare School also made exemplary contributions to this team effort,” a police spokesperson said.
Personnel were rushed to the gondola cable car after a technical fault caused a sudden suspension of services between the Base Station and Phase-1, an Army spokesperson said. “Following a distress call received from the J&K Police and the Gondola Management Authority regarding the safety and evacuation of stranded tourists, the Indian Army swiftly swung into action and mobilised rescue teams towards the affected area,” the Army said.
The Army pressed into service an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) to facilitate evacuation efforts “in the challenging terrain and prevailing inclement weather conditions”. Additional ATVs were coordinated through the Gulmarg ATV Association to augment evacuation efforts.
Top police officials also reached the spot to oversee the rescue operations, officials said. J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah deputed Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary to Gulmarg “to personally oversee the rescue operations following the temporary stoppage of the gondola service due to a technical fault”, an official spokesperson said.
“All cabins remain intact and trained rescue teams are actively engaged on the ground to safely evacuate the stranded tourists. The government has assured that the situation is completely under control, and there is no cause for panic,” the spokesperson said.
J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha monitored the situation, a Lok Bhavan spokesperson said. “I am monitoring the rescue operation for tourists stranded in cable car cabins following a technical fault in Gulmarg. I have directed the Director General of Police (DGP) to proceed to the site,” Mr. Sinha said.
Mr. Abdullah said that the incident will be thoroughly examined and an enquiry conducted into the technical fault. “Responsibility for any lapses will be fixed and appropriate action taken accordingly,” he said.
“The incident occurred at around 1.20 p.m., when a technical fault forced several gondola cabins carrying tourists to remain suspended mid-air. Fourteen SDRF teams were initially pressed into service, while an additional team was later deployed, taking the total number of SDRF teams involved in the operation to 15,” DGP Nalin Prabhat said.
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary said a detailed report regarding the incident would be submitted to the Chief Minister, following which appropriate measures would be taken to ascertain the cause of the technical snag to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future. Mr. Choudhary directed the concerned authorities to ensure that all necessary safety protocols were strictly adhered to, and stressed the need for early restoration of services for the convenience of tourists and locals.
“Tourists are our valued guests and every possible effort was made to ensure their safe rescue. I am thankful that all the passengers are safe and the rescue operation has concluded successfully,” the Deputy CM said.
The gondola, said to be Asia’s highest and longest cable car project, is a major attraction for tourists visiting Kashmir. Every day, around 4,000 people ride the cable car. The experience is split in two phases: Gulmarg-Kongdoori, and Kongdoori-Afarwat. The gondolas glide over a lush forest range covered with pine trees to the vast rolling grassy meadows at Khilanmarg.
The Gulmarg gondola will remain closed May 26 and 27 for maintenance. Tickets issued for May 25, 26 and 27 will be refunded in full.
Published – May 25, 2026 10:28 pm IST
