Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, June 25: In tragic mishap, a family of four from Delhi were among 7 persons killed when a Gondola car cabin crashed to the ground after a tree fell on it in tourist resort of Gulmarg in North Kashmir this afternoon.
Senior Superintendent of Police Baramulla, Imtiyaz Hussain, told Excelsior that due to high velocity winds a pine tree fell on cable and crashed onto a Gondola cabin killing seven persons including four members of a tourist family.
The SSP said that 150 people were on board the cable when the mishap happened and all of them were rescued besides over 100 people who were at Kongdoori were brought back to Gulmarg with the help of All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) operators.
The dead have been identified as Jayat Andraskar son of Namdeo Andraskar, Manisha wife of Jayant Andraskar, Anaga Jayant, Anushka Jayant daughters of Jayant Andraskar residents of Shalimar Bagh, New Delhi, tourist guide Mukhtar Ahmad son of Ali Mohammad resident of Chountpathri Babareshi, tourist guide Jahangir Ahmad Khanday son of Mohammad Akram resident of Waripora, Tangmarg and Farooq Ahmad Chopan resident of Waripora, Tangmarg. Two persons identified as Ajaz Ahmad Ganie son of Ghulam Ahmad resident of Kohlina, Chandoosa and Tariq Ahmad Katariya son of Mohammaddin Katariya resident of Pachhar, Chandoosa Baramulla were injured.
A large number of locals especially All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) operators and police carried out rescue operation and rescued over 100 people who were stranded in Kongdoori.
Around 150 persons were onboard of the Gondola when the mishap took place. It took several hours to the Engineers and staff of the Cable car to restore the cable and the stranded people including tourists were rescued. It was traumatic experience for the stranded as they spent several hours inside cabins.
Director Tourism, Kashmir, Mahmood A Shah, reached the accident site and supervised the rescue process and provided necessary assistance to the stranded tourists. “In this hour of grief we’re with the bereaved families. Our heartfelt condolences are with them” said the Director.
Giving details of the incident, Shah said that it happened due to the heavy winds, which uprooted the tree that later fell on ropes between tower number 7 and 8 of the Cable Car Project. One cabin got derailed from its pulley and crashed down resulting into the tragic death of seven people.
Director said the administration has made necessary efforts to take back the cabin, fixed the ropes and ferried stranded tourists back to Gulmarg bowl. The Travel, Trade and Hospitality sector was also grieved over the tragic incident and extended their sympathies with the bereaved families.
Tourism Department has expressed deep shock over the death of seven people, in the mishap.
DGP Dr S P Vaid in a tweet has expressed his heartfelt sympathies with the bereaved families and lauded his men and the civilians in Gulmarg for the rescue operation.
The two-stage Gulmarg cable car lift ferries people to a height of 13,780 feet above the sea level. It is the world’s second highest operating Cable Car Project with a cabin capacity of ferrying 600 people in one hour.
The ropeway project — which has 36 cabins and 18 towers — is a joint venture of tourists who flock to Gulmarg, a skiing hub.
The first stage of the cable car transfers people from the Gulmarg resort at 2,600 meters (8,530 feet) to Kongdori station in the bowl-shaped Kongdori valley, according to the company which operates the cable car.
The second stage takes people to a height of 3,747 meters (12,293 feet) on Kongdori.
Meanwhile, Governor N N Vohra has expressed grief over the tragic loss of lives in an unfortunate accident at the Gulmarg tourist resort.
In a message, the Governor has prayed for peace to the departed souls and wished the bereaved families the strength to bear this sad loss.
Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti has expressed grief and shock over the tragic accident at Gulmarg today in which a tourist family of four and three local youth were killed while they were on a Gondola ride.
Mehbooba Mufti, who was herself monitoring the rescue operations, announced ex gratia relief of Rs 5 lakh in favour of next of kin of the killed. She has also directed conducting of a high level inquiry to know the causes or lapses, if any, that led to the accident.
The Chief Minister has also conveyed her grief and condolence to the families of the three local youth, who were also killed in the same accident.
As the news of the accident was received, team of high level officers led by the Divisional Commissioner and other officers supervised the rescue at the spot. The bodies of the deceased are being sent to their homes while as the injured have been shifted to hospital.
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