Gulmarg cable-car inquiry calls for backup rescue system and guide training

An inquiry into the Gulmarg Gondola incident in Jammu and Kashmir has recommended an additional rescue system and specialist training for local service providers after about 300 tourists were stranded in cable-car cabins for six hours. The incident occurred on May 25 when a technical problem left tourists suspended above the resort. The preliminary report identified gaps in the Gondola’s rescue arrangements, officials said.

The committee recommended installing an additional rescue bull wheel independent of the existing bull wheel and gearbox. Officials said the second system would become active if the primary system failed, allowing rescue operations to proceed independently. The inquiry also called for registered ski guides, tourist guides, photographers and pony owners to receive training in vertical rescue operations.

Such rope-based training would enable them to act as first responders during emergencies. About 100 local people are registered with the tourism department to provide these services. The gearbox involved in the May failure was moved to Delhi and was being examined by Poma, the French company that manufactures cable-driven lift systems.

Officials said it could be returned to service during the month. A French Poma team was due to brief the inquiry committee in Srinagar on the functioning and maintenance of the cable car. Poma’s maintenance standards are based on annual operating hours and the type of system in use.

The State Disaster Response Force, Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police rescued the stranded tourists using ropes and ladders. The Gondola, established in 1998, has two phases and reaches a highest point of 4,390 metres. It attracted about 1m tourists in 2024 and generated ₹108 crore in revenue.