Gulmarg Gondola earns Rs 1 mn daily: Officials

Srinagar, May 30: The Jammu and Kashmir State Cable Car Corporation (JKSCCC) earns about Rs one million daily as a record number of tourists queue up to enjoy a ride on the world's highest and the Asia's longest cable car project -- Gulmarg Gondola -- at the famed ski resort, official sources said today.

Keeping in view the heavy rush of visitors, the state tourism department has decided to open the Gondola cable car at Gulmarg, about 45 km from here, even on Mondays when it is otherwise closed for tourists, they added.

The sources said the maintenance work would now be done daily in morning and evening instead of Mondays.

Gulmarg Gondola is a star attraction for foreign as well as domestic tourists.

The ropeway, which has 36 cabins, ferries about 600 tourists to and fro the Afarwat peak and comprises 35 towers and 30 stations and takes skiers to a height of 4,390 mt.

The ropeway project is a joint venture of the Jammu and Kashmir government and French firm Poma Glaski.

The cable car, which has been extended further by 2.65 km, connects the bowl-shaped Kongdoori Valley at 10,000 ft (3,930 mt) with Afarwat, situated 13 km from Gulmarg, and at an altitude of 13,400 ft (4,390 mt). The second phase from Kangdoori to Afarwat was finished well ahead of time.

The second phase from Kongdoori to Afarwat (about 5 km) was completed in a record time of about two years at a cost of Rs 11 crore and opened on May 28 last year.

The French company had also built the first phase of the cable car project, connecting Gulmarg to Kongdoori, in 1998.

The JKSCCC has also proposed to construct chair lifts which will connect Kongdoori with Merry Shoulder peak for beginners and intermediate skiers.

UNI