Early Times Report
Jammu, June 10: The Government has constituted a high-level enquiry committee to investigate the technical malfunction in the Gulmarg Gondola that left more than 300 tourists stranded mid-air on May 25, triggering a massive rescue operation and raising concerns over the safety of one of the Union Territory’s most popular tourist attractions.
The General Administration Department (GAD) issued Government Order No. 1065-JK(GAD) of 2026, dated June 10, constituting a committee to conduct a comprehensive probe into the incident and ascertain the circumstances that led to the technical failure.
The committee will be headed by Mahmood Ahmad Shah, Managing Director of the Kashmir Power Development Corporation Limited (KPDCL). Other members include Vikas Gupta, Director, Tourism Jammu; Tariq Hussain, Chief Executive Officer of the Gulmarg Development Authority (GDA); Javeed Ahmad Tantray, In-charge Superintending Engineer, Mechanical and Hospital Circle Kashmir; and Mohammad Ismail Chechi, Executive Engineer, Mechanical and Hospital Division, Baramulla.
According to the order, the committee has been tasked with establishing the complete sequence of events leading to the malfunction and conducting a detailed technical examination of the nature, cause and extent of the failure. It will scrutinize all relevant records, reports, communications and operational details connected with the incident.
The panel will examine operational logs, fault indications, monitoring systems, alarms, inspection reports and maintenance records to determine whether standard operating procedures (SOPs), maintenance protocols and safety guidelines were being followed at the time of the incident.
The enquiry will also investigate whether any operational lapses, negligence, procedural deficiencies, communication gaps, supervisory failures, human errors or administrative shortcomings contributed directly or indirectly to the occurrence of the malfunction.
Officials said the committee has been directed to assess compliance with statutory provisions, technical standards, safety regulations, manufacturer guidelines, certification norms and prescribed maintenance schedules governing the operation of the cable car system.
The committee will further evaluate the effectiveness of the emergency response mounted during and after the incident, including evacuation procedures, passenger safety protocols, communication systems and coordination among various agencies involved in the rescue effort.
The order authorises the panel to identify responsibility, wherever warranted, for any act of omission, commission, negligence or procedural violation on the part of any individual, agency, contractor or authority associated with the operation, maintenance and administration of the gondola system.
Besides recommending immediate corrective measures for the safe restoration of services, the committee has also been asked to suggest long-term technical, operational and administrative reforms to prevent the recurrence of similar incidents in the future.
The panel has been empowered to inspect the site, examine records and documents, interact with officials, technical personnel, operators, contractors and other stakeholders, and seek expert opinion wherever necessary. It has been directed to submit its report along with findings and recommendations to the Tourism Department within ten days.
The enquiry was ordered nearly two weeks after a major tragedy was averted at the world-famous ski resort of Gulmarg when a technical snag brought the Gondola service to a sudden halt on May 25.
More than 300 tourists and local visitors were trapped inside suspended cabins for several hours after the cable car system stopped functioning due to a technical fault. A large-scale rescue operation involving personnel of the Army’s 9 Rajputana Rifles, Jammu and Kashmir Police, civil administration and other agencies was launched to evacuate the stranded passengers.
Officials said around 320 tourists were rescued during the nearly seven-hour-long operation. Eyewitnesses reported scenes of panic among passengers, particularly women and children, as the cabins remained suspended mid-air.
Technical teams were subsequently deployed to identify the fault and assess the condition of the cable car system.
Following the incident, the Jammu and Kashmir Cable Car Corporation (JKCCC) suspended operations of the Gulmarg Gondola indefinitely.
In its latest communication, the corporation said the Gondola would remain closed to tourists until further notice as maintenance work, safety audits and technical inspections continue.
“The inconvenience caused is regretted,” the corporation said in an official communiqué.
The Gondola has remained non-operational since May 25. Although JKCCC had earlier indicated that services could resume after June 8, it has now withheld any timeline for reopening.
Officials said the facility would be reopened only after all technical issues are resolved and the system receives the requisite safety clearances from the concerned authorities. |