Gulmarg Gondola Services Suspended Following Technical Glitch

More than 300 tourists were left stranded mid-air for hours after a major technical snag disrupted operations of the Gulmarg Gondola in Gulmarg, officials said.

The malfunction affected 65 cabins of the ropeway system, trapping passengers — including families and holidaymakers — inside cabins suspended nearly 500 feet above the ground. The incident reportedly triggered panic among tourists before rescue teams initiated emergency evacuation measures.

Authorities launched a large-scale multi-agency rescue operation that continued for nearly seven hours and successfully evacuated all stranded passengers safely. Officials said adverse weather conditions, including heavy rainfall in the region, complicated and slowed down rescue efforts.

The technical glitch occurred around noon, prompting authorities to immediately suspend operations of both phases of the cable car service as a precautionary measure.

The Gulmarg Gondola is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Jammu and Kashmir and is regarded as Asia’s highest and one of the world’s highest operating cable car systems. It attracts thousands of tourists annually for sightseeing, skiing and mountain tourism.

Officials are expected to conduct a detailed technical inspection to determine the cause of the malfunction before services resume.