Relieved news has emerged from the world-famous tourist destination of Gulmarg in Jammu and Kashmir, where a massive rescue operation successfully evacuated all stranded tourists from Asia’s highest and largest ropeway, the ‘Gulmarg Gondola’, following a sudden technical malfunction. On Tuesday, May 26, 2026, during the afternoon hours, an abrupt disruption in power supply combined with a mechanical gear failure caused the cable cars of the gondola system to grind to an unexpected halt mid-air. This sudden stoppage left hundreds of tourists suspended in the sky between the Kongdoori first phase and the Apharwat second phase stations. As the cable cars sat motionless over the snow-covered mountainous terrain, panic rippled through the stranded passengers who began calling out for emergency assistance. Upon receiving the alert, the Jammu and Kashmir Cable Car Corporation, local administration, tourism police, and Indian Army personnel immediately took charge of the situation, launching a war-footing rescue operation.
Administrative officials explained that the technical hitch was triggered by a sudden electrical tripping event, which completely paralyzed the automated control system of the ropeway infrastructure. In response, the specialized rescue teams promptly deployed auxiliary backup systems alongside manual extraction techniques to gradually guide the stranded cabins back to the safety of the designated docking stations. Following an intense and highly risky operation that lasted for approximately two to three hours, all passengers—including elderly travelers and young children trapped inside the suspended cabins—were successfully brought down to safety on the ground. Authorities have officially confirmed that no casualties or injuries were reported during the entire episode, and every single tourist is completely safe. Upon stepping foot on solid ground, emotional tourists expressed immense relief and extended their heartfelt gratitude to the rescue teams for their promptness and bravery under challenging conditions.
The Gulmarg Gondola is celebrated globally as one of the most scenic and popular alpine ropeways, attracting thousands of domestic and international visitors daily. Immediately following this incident, operations for the entire gondola ropeway service have been temporarily suspended as a strict precautionary safety measure. A specialized team of mechanical and electrical engineers is currently conducting a thorough investigation to pinpoint the exact root cause of the system failure, alongside an extensive safety audit of the entire mechanism. The local administration has made it clear that the ropeway will not be reopened to the public until the entire structural network undergoes exhaustive testing and receives a mandatory hundred percent safety clearance certificate.
