Gulmarg Gondola defunct for nearly 2 months

Ishfaq Tantry

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Tribune News Service

Gulmarg, July 8

Gulmarg Gondola, a major tourist attraction for tourists visiting Kashmir, has been non-operational for nearly two months and the J&K Government is losing lakhs of rupees every day in peak tourist season.

While officials claim the cable car has been closed for “maintenance” for the last over 55 days since May 15, the tourists visiting the resort go back disappointed and let down.

The officials maintain that the Phase 1 of Gulmarg Gondola would be made operational this month as the order for the equipment, called the shaft, has been placed with a French company and the shipment is expected to arrive in New Delhi on July 9.

“Since the cable car was installed almost 28 years ago, the original equipment manufacturer had to recast the shaft and that is way it has taken so much time to procure it from Europe,” Managing Director, J&K Cable Car Corporation, Shamim Ahmad Wani told The Tribune.

In the absence of the Phase 1 of Gondola, which runs from Gulmarg to Kungdoori, the operators of the all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and ponies are having a field day as tourists are turning to them to visit Kungdoori to have a glimpse of snow peaks. There have, however, been complaints of tourists being overcharged by these operators.

The JKCCC is losing nearly 12 lakh per day. However, Wani said the corporation was still managing an average daily earning of Rs 12 lakh as tourists were enjoying the rides from the second phase, which is operational and its ticket costs Rs 940 per person.

When asked about the complaints of tourists being overcharged to visit Kungdoori, Shamim said it was the responsibility of tourism authorities to ensure that the tourists were not exploited.

The ponywallas are charging between Rs 1,500 and Rs 2,000 per tourists to take them to Kungdoori, wherefrom they can reach Apparwath by booking tickets for the second phase of the cable car which is operational. All-terrain vehicles are charging between Rs 3,500 and Rs 4,000 per trip for the same route.

The official rates fixed for the pony and all-terrain vehicles at Gulmarg are: Pony: Rs. 350 for first hour and Rs. 250 for every subsequent hour; all terrain vehicle: Rs 300 for 15 minutes, Rs 1200/- per hour.

To reach Kungdoori by pony, it generally takes about one hour and by vehicle about half an hour.

Installed 28 years ago

• Work on Gulmarg Gondola Project (Phase-I and Phase-II) was taken up for execution by the J&K Government through Department of Tourism in 1987
• The work for supply, erection, installation and commissioning was awarded to French company M/S Pomagalski in 1988
• Following an accident last year, the French company advised against operation of gondola until its maintenance was done
• French engineers visited Gulmarg and sought replacement of hub and shaft of the lifts
• Since the cable car was installed, its parts were not available with the company and order for the same was placed with the original equipment manufacturer, which took lot of time, officials claim

Major attractions: Kungdoori, Apparwath

• One can reach Gulmarg by car or bus from Srinagar in 1.5 hours 
• Kungdoori & Apparwath are 2 major attractions for Gulmarg Gondola riders 
• The Gulmarg Gondola has two phases, travels above coniferous trees --- a breath-taking journey for tourists.
• First level takes one from Gulmarg to Kungdoori and second level from Kungdoori to Apparwath
• From Gulmarg to Kungdoori it takes 10 minutes in gondola and from Koongdoor to Apparwath is another 12 minutes. 
• The gondola with 6-seat cabins lifts through 1,330 m height & covers nearly 5 km (aerial) distance to level 2 at 14,500 feet on Apparwath Peak.
• Apparwath Peak is a famous snow-clad destination 13 km from Gulmarg