J-K govt sets up 5-member committee to probe Gulmarg Gondola technical glitch
Srinagar, June 10
The Jammu and Kashmir government on Wednesday constituted a five-member committee to conduct a comprehensive enquiry into the technical malfunction of the Gulmarg Gondola that occurred on May 25, 2026, which left over 300 tourists stranded mid-air for several hours.
According to an Order issued by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir on June 10, 2026, the committee will be chaired by Mahmood Ahmad Shah, Jammu & Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS), Managing Director (MD), Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL).
Other members include Vikas Gupta, JKAS, Director Tourism, Jammu; Tariq Hussain, JKAS, Chief Executive Officer, Gulmarg Development Authority; Javeed Ahmad Tantray, In-charge Superintending Engineer, Mechanical & Hospital Circle Kashmir; and Mohammad Ismail Chechi, Executive Engineer, Mechanical Division Baramulla.
The order mandates the committee to ascertain the complete sequence of events leading to the technical failure and to conduct a detailed technical examination of all mechanical, electrical, electronic, braking, and safety systems associated with the gondola.
The committee is further tasked with reviewing existing Standard Operating Procedures and maintenance protocols to determine if any operational lapse, negligence, or administrative shortcoming contributed to the incident.
Additionally, the panel must evaluate the effectiveness of the emergency response and evacuation procedures employed during the crisis.
Beyond investigating the cause and identifying potential responsibility for any acts of omission or procedural violations, the committee is expected to recommend immediate corrective measures and long-term strategies to ensure the safe operation of the system.
The committee is further required to submit its report, including findings and recommendations, to the Tourism Department within 10 days from the date of the order.
The development comes after a technical malfunction in Gulmarg's Gondola briefly disrupted operations and left several cable car cabins stranded mid-air with tourists onboard, prompting a large-scale rescue operation.
The rescue operation concluded successfully with all stranded tourists evacuated safely. According to Jammu and Kashmir Police, 286 people were safely evacuated in total, with 148 rescued from one side of the system and 138 from the other as operations continued in phases.
Officials said that out of 65 cable cars, 62 were affected, while three were not in operation at the time. Of these, 52 cabins were occupied, and 10 were empty.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Gulmarg Gondola is such an iconic attraction for Kashmir tourism. I hope they fix the maintenance schedules properly. Yeh technical glitch could have been much worse. Thank God everyone is safe! 🙏
Committee toh theek hai... but 10 days deadline is too short for a comprehensive investigation. They need to properly check every nut and bolt. Safety first, yaar! Also, why didn't they have better emergency protocols ready?
It's good that they have a mix of technical and administrative officers on the committee. But isn't there someone from the tourism industry or an independent expert? Government babus alone might not get the full picture of operational failures.
Thankful everyone was evacuated safely. 300 people stuck mid-air is no joke. The rescue teams did an amazing job. Hope this committee finds the root cause quickly so such incidents don't happen again. 🙌
This is a step in the right direction, but I hope they don't just file a report and forget about it. We need real action - better maintenance, regular drills, and maybe even backup power systems for emergencies.
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