Gulmarg, June 25 (KNO): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said the Gulmarg Gondola service was resumed only after the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), POMA, certified the repairs and maintenance procedures following last month’s technical fault, asserting that the government prioritised safety over an early reopening.
Speaking to the media as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) CM Omar made the remarks after flagging off the Gulmarg Gondola service, which resumed operations after remaining suspended for a month following heavy rainfall and a technical snag in the first phase of the cable car system on May 25.
“The committee is doing its work and an interim report has been received. Based on that report, the original equipment manufacturer, POMA, examined the repair work and certified the service and maintenance procedures. Only after they were satisfied did we decide to restart the gondola,” Abdullah told reporters.
He said the faulty gearbox had been replaced by the Cable Car Corporation within four to five days of the incident, but the government deliberately delayed the reopening until all safety clearances were obtained.
“If we wanted to make haste, the gondola could have been restarted on the fifth day itself. But we decided there would be no haste and that the system would be restarted only after certification by the company,” he said.
Expressing satisfaction over tourist arrivals, Abdullah said Gulmarg continued to witness a steady flow of visitors even during the suspension.
“We were concerned that Gulmarg might become empty after the gondola was shut, but that did not happen. Tourists kept coming and tourism activities continued. With the reopening of the gondola, we hope tourist footfall will increase further,” he said.
Recalling the rescue operation carried out after the May 25 incident, the Chief Minister said around 52 gondola cabins were suspended on the cable when the technical fault occurred and more than 40 of them were evacuated by local volunteers and rescuers before the Army and police completed the remaining operation.
“The people who did the real work did not get the recognition they deserved. Today, I thanked them,” he said.
Abdullah announced a reward of Rs 50,000 each for Gulmarg Gondola Project employees who participated in the rescue operation, saying the incentive was a token of appreciation for their dedication during the emergency.
He also announced that six cable car employees involved in the rescue operation had been regularised and said more workers would be regularised in a phased manner.
On May 25, more than 300 tourists were stranded in 65 gondola cabins after adverse weather conditions and a technical fault disrupted operations. A joint rescue operation involving the Indian Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and Jammu and Kashmir Police evacuated all the stranded tourists safely without any injuries—(KNO)