Mid-Air Panic in Gulmarg: Around 300 Tourists Stranded After Gondola Service Suffers Technical Fault, 166 Rescued
Mid-Air Panic in Gulmarg: Around 300 Tourists Stranded After Gondola Service Suffers Technical Fault, 166 Rescued
Gulmarg, Jammu and Kashmir, May 25, 2026: A major scare unfolded in Gulmarg on Monday after the famous Gondola cable car service suddenly stopped mid-air due to a technical fault, leaving nearly 300 tourists stranded inside suspended cabins for a brief period. The incident triggered panic among visitors, including women and children, as rescue teams rushed to the spot to carry out evacuation operations.
As of now,
total 166 persons have been rescued from 29 Cabins, stated a post of Northern Command’s X account.
On the instructions of the Chief Minister, Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister @Surinderch55 is in Gulmarg personally overseeing the rescue operation following the temporary stoppage of the Gondola service due to a technical fault. The local Hon’ble MLA @FarooqShah_JKNC is also on site… pic.twitter.com/btx9sosnqE
— Office of Chief Minister, J&K (@CM_JnK) May 25, 2026
According to officials, the cable car service developed a technical issue, forcing the temporary suspension of operations. Soon after the incident, teams from the Army’s 9 Raj Rif, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and local administration launched a coordinated rescue mission to safely evacuate stranded passengers.
Senior officials, including the Sub-Divisional Magistrate and Tehsildar of Tangmarg, reached the site to supervise rescue efforts and monitor the situation. Videos from the location showed tourists waiting anxiously inside cabins suspended high above the ground while rescue personnel worked to restore operations.
Authorities stated that all cabins remained secure and that safety protocols were being strictly followed during the evacuation process. Officials also confirmed that technical experts were deployed to identify the fault and resume services at the earliest.
Reacting to the incident, the office of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the government was closely monitoring the situation and assured that there was “no cause for panic.”
The Gulmarg Gondola, considered one of the highest cable car projects in the world, is among Kashmir’s biggest tourist attractions and witnesses heavy tourist footfall during the summer season.
