Cable car in Gulmarg damaged by lightening, tourists disappointed

Gulmarg, Apr 23 (UNI) The Gandola cable car was grounded after lightening damaged a wire, disappointing hundreds of tourists who had come here from all parts of the country and abroad.

However, it was a field day for the pony wallas who were charging Rs 500 per horse from the base camp to Kongdori.

A UNI correspondent saw all the cars of the Gandola grounded at the base camp.

Officials said lightening damaged a wire on April 21 night, forcing authorities to suspended the cable car operation for security reasons.

They said repair work on the damaged wire was going on. However, nothing can be said when the operation would be restarted, they added.

They said it will take just a few hours to connect the cars with the cable once the damaged wire is repaired.

Meanwhile, hundreds of tourists, who had come from different parts of the country and abroad expressed their disappointment.

''We had come all the way from Bangalore to enjoy the Gandola cable car ride,'' a tourist, Khaleel, told this correspondent.

He said he had come alongwith his wife and three daughters to see the world's highest down hill ski point at Apharwat. But due to non-operational of the Gandola we are disappointed, he said.

However, his daughters could be seen playing with snow, still visible at some places.

He said a pony walla was charging Rs 500 per person from base camp to Kongdori.

The tourists complained about twice charging of toll tax by the local authorities.

Once you reach near Tangmarg you have to pay Rs 50 toll tax and again at Gulmarg Rs 50 is charged, they said and demanded that toll tax should be charged only once since the entire area was under one control.

UNI BAS ASM AM HS1403