Today at least 7 people including a family of four from New Delhi were killed in an abnormal accident that hit very famous Gondola cable lift system of Gulmarg. As there were strong winds, it felled a tree on the cable. The cable was a high-tension line which is believed to have violently flexed back moments later. After that, the recoil left those passengers in the nearest two cars with fatal injuries.
A family from New Delhi including Jayant Andraskar, his wife Manshea and their daughters Anagha and Janhvi, and their guide Mukhtar Ahmad Ganai were among the dead. The other casualties were Jahangir Ahmed Khanday, a local guide, and Farooq Ahmad Chopan.
At around 3 pm a storm hit the region and this was the main reason of the accident. “A tree was uprooted, and it hit a second tree that fell on the sagging ropeway. Police forces said that the cable could have snapped after a big tree fell on the cable, sending several cabin cars hurtling down a valley in the tourist paradise. They said, “A couple and 2 children were among the dead. Already we have sent the rescue team to save people trapped in other cars of the gondola cable car project”.
This 2-stage cable car lift ferries people to a height of more than 13,000 feet above the sea level, which is the world’s second highest operating cable car project with a cabin capacity of ferrying almost six hundred people in one hour. The ropeway project has 36 cabins and 18 towers and it is a joint venture of the Jammu and Kashmir government and a French firm and is hugely popular with all national and international tourists who flock to Gulmarg. The first stage of the cable car transfers people from the Gulmarg resort at 2,500 meters to Kongdori station in the bowl-shaped Kongdori Valley, which operates the cable car. And the second stage takes people to a height of 3,700 meters on Kongdori Mountain.
The bodies were sent to Tanmarg hospital. Authorities at the hospital said that the victims showed signs of multiple internal injuries. According to them, “The post-mortem examinations will be conducted tomorrow before the bodies are flown to New Delhi”.
Chief Minister of J&K Mehbooba Mufti announced a Rs 5 lakh payout to the relatives of those who died and ordered a high-level investigation. This Gulmarg Gondola region is among key tourist attractions and it is known as one of Asia’s best ski resorts.
The local persons said that civilians, tour guides, and operators of all-terrain vehicles assisted in rescue efforts which were carried out by the local administration. According to the Jammu and Kashmir state tourism department, the Gulmarg Gondola ferries almost six-hundred people per hour. It was set up jointly by the J &K government and French firm Pomagalski.
