The Gulmarg Gandola cable car project will restart its regular services on Tuesday, following an expert trial run scheduled for Monday. This news has been well-received by tourists as the cable car is a significant attraction at the ski resort. The project had been temporarily closed due to a technical malfunction, leading to a complete stoppage on May 25.
Experts will conduct a test trial of the Gondola system on Monday to ensure operational safety and technical performance before reopening to the public on Tuesday. During the closure period, all tickets for visits between May 25 and June 1 were refunded in full. The cable car project faced a technical snag that left 320 people stranded mid-air in cabins on May 25.
The Indian Army, J&K Police, SDRF, and local authorities successfully executed a massive six-hour rescue mission to evacuate all 320 stranded tourists. Emergency response teams used snowmobiles and ATVs to reach the affected areas and conducted a high-risk manual evacuation process in adverse weather conditions. Despite the incident, all passengers were rescued without any major injuries.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has ordered an official investigation into the cause of the malfunction. The Jammu and Kashmir Cable Car Corporation is yet to determine responsibility for the incident that led to the suspension of services. The closure has resulted in significant financial losses for the corporation and impacted tourism-related activities in Gulmarg during the peak tourist season.
