Gulmarg, May 25: Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat on Monday said nearly 320 people were safely rescued after Gulmarg Gondola developed a technical snag, leaving several cabins with tourists stranded.
Talking to reporters, the DGP said, “Police received information in the afternoon that the Gondola had developed a technical fault, causing cabins carrying tourists to get stuck mid-air.”
He said the first responder was the Station House Officer (SHO) Gulmarg, who immediately rushed to the spot along with personnel from the local police station and Special Operations Group (SOG) to initiate rescue efforts.
“Soon after, 14 teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were mobilised, while another team joined later. Armed Police Mountain rescue teams and Snow Leopard personnel of J&K Police also reached the site, following which a massive rescue operation was launched,” he said.
The DGP said personnel from the Army and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) also joined the operation, while a rescue team from the Gulmarg Gondola Corporation actively participated in evacuating the stranded tourists.
He said the coordinated efforts of all agencies ensured the safe rescue of nearly 320 people.
“No one sustained any injuries during the incident,” he said, lauding the swift response and seamless coordination among all teams involved in the operation.
DGP Prabhat lauded the unwavering commitment of the brave personnel of the security forces and said that they averted a major crisis.
Senior police officers, including ADGP Law and Order V. K. Birdi, reached Gulmarg and monitored the rescue efforts on the ground. Army officials, including Punit Doval, Manoj Dattatrey Joshi, M. B. Singh and S. K. Yadav, also supervised the operation along with civil administration officials.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also praised the rescue teams for carrying out the operation successfully.
“Applause to India’s disaster response forces for safely rescuing 300 tourists stranded mid-air in cable cars in Gulmarg, Kashmir. The nation salutes the forces for their valour and skill,” Shah said in a statement.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha hailed the efforts of the rescue agencies and appreciated the coordinated response by Police, Army, SDRF, NDRF and civil administration teams in ensuring the safe evacuation of all stranded tourists.
On the directions of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary visited Gulmarg to personally oversee the rescue operation following the disruption in the gondola service.
MLA Gulmarg Pirzada Farooq Ahmed Shah and senior administrative and police officers also remained present at the site to coordinate rescue measures.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister appreciated the efforts of all agencies, rescue teams and personnel involved in the successful evacuation of tourists stranded after the Gulmarg Gondola developed a technical fault. He commended the swift response, coordination and professionalism displayed during the rescue operation, which ensured the safe evacuation of all tourists.
The Chief Minister stated that the incident will be thoroughly examined and an enquiry conducted. Responsibility for any lapses will be fixed and appropriate action taken.
Officials said the majority of stranded cabins were cleared within hours and all tourists were evacuated safely without any injuries or loss of life. The administration maintained that the situation remained under control throughout the operation and urged people not to panic.
Meanwhile, in a statement an Army spokesman said, “The Indian Army and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) led a coordinated rescue and evacuation operation at Gulmarg Gondola after a technical fault in the Gondola cable car system caused a sudden suspension of services between the Base Station and Phase-1 (Kongdori) on Monday, leaving multiple tourists stranded amid adverse weather conditions.”
“Following a distress call received from the Jammu and Kashmir 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.
Troops from Butapathri Battalion side-stepped three Casualty Assistance Teams (CATs) between the Gondola Base Station and Phase-1, while the Army also staged forward its own All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) to facilitate evacuation efforts in the challenging terrain and prevailing inclement weather conditions,” the statement said, adding, “The SDRF, Jammu and Kashmir Police and other civil agencies also pitched in to support the rescue operation, while additional ATVs were coordinated through the Gulmarg ATV Association to augment evacuation efforts, as restoration of the Gondola system was expected to take time.” (KNO)
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