The Jammu and Kashmir government has constituted a high-level committee to investigate the malfunction of the Gulmarg cable car system that left nearly 300 tourists stranded mid-air before they were rescued in a multi-agency operation.
According to a government order, the committee will inquire into the circumstances that led to the technical malfunction of the gondola on May 25.
Mahmood Ahmad Shah, Managing Director of the Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL), will head the panel. Other members include Vikas Gupta, Director Tourism, Jammu; Tariq Hussain, Chief Executive Officer, Gulmarg Development Authority; Javeed Ahmad Tantray, Superintending Engineer, Mechanical & Hospital Circle Kashmir; and Mohammad Ismail Chechi, Executive Engineer, Mechanical & Hospital Division, Baramulla.
The committee has been tasked with establishing the complete sequence of events that led to the technical failure of the gondola system, including the circumstances immediately preceding, during and following the incident.
It will examine all relevant facts, records, reports, communications and operational details necessary to arrive at a clear understanding of the incident.
The panel will conduct a detailed technical examination of the malfunction and investigate the nature, cause and extent of the failure. This will include scrutiny of the mechanical, electrical, electronic, braking, communication, control and safety systems associated with the operation of the cable car.
As per the order, the committee will also review operational logs, fault indicators, monitoring systems, alarms, inspection reports, maintenance records and other technical documents relevant to the incident.
It will assess existing operational procedures, standard operating procedures (SOPs), maintenance protocols, inspection mechanisms and safety guidelines governing the functioning of the gondola system. The panel will also determine whether prescribed procedures and protocols were being followed at the time of the incident.
Further, it will evaluate compliance with applicable statutory provisions, technical standards, safety regulations, manufacturer guidelines, inspection requirements, certification norms and maintenance schedules prescribed for operation of the cable car system, and determine whether any deviations or violations occurred.
It will recommend immediate corrective measures to ensure the safe operation and restoration of the cable car system, besides suggesting long-term technical, operational, administrative and safety-related reforms to prevent recurrence of similar incidents.
The panel has been directed to submit its findings and recommendations to the Tourism Department within 10 days.
