Gulmarg, Jun 25 (KNO): As the operations of Gulmarg Gondola resumed on Thursday, Director Tourism Kashmir, Syed Qamar Sajjad, said that safety of tourists is the foremost priority for the administration.
Speaking after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah flagged off the Gondola service in Gulmarg, the Director, as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said the decision to restart operations was taken only after all mandatory technical inspections, repairs and trial runs were completed successfully.
"After the necessary tests and checks, the Gondola has been reopened for tourists and flagged off by the Chief Minister. It is a happy moment because one of the major assets of Kashmir tourism has resumed operations. The Gondola plays a vital role in promoting tourism across Jammu and Kashmir," he said.
The Director said that authorities deliberately refrained from rushing the reopening process despite the importance of the Gondola to the tourism sector. "If you think revenue is our concern, then no, it is not. Our concern has always been the safety and security of tourists. That is why the service was reopened only after all mandatory tests and safety checks were completed," he said.
The Director Tourism acknowledged that technical failures can occur in any mechanical system but said the expertise of the Cable Car Corporation's technical staff gives confidence in the system's operation and maintenance.
"Technical faults cannot be ruled out. However, the Cable Car team, especially the mechanical team, is competent enough to manage the Gondola properly. We have full faith in their capabilities and in future also we will take due care to ensure smooth and safe operations," he said.
Pertinently, the Gulmarg Gondola had remained shut since May 25 after a technical snag disrupted operations, leaving more than 300 tourists stranded in around 65 cabins. The incident triggered a massive rescue operation involving local volunteers, Gondola staff, the Army, police and disaster response teams, all of whom worked for hours to safely evacuate passengers.
Following the incident, authorities carried out extensive repairs, replaced the faulty gearbox, conducted technical audits and undertook multiple trial runs before restoring services.
The Jammu and Kashmir Government also constituted a high-level committee to investigate the circumstances leading to the malfunction and recommend measures to strengthen operational safety—(KNO)