Gulmarg Gondola

Gulmarg Gondola in Gulmarg, Jammu and Kashmir, a union territory of India is the second longest and second highest cable car in the world. Higher lines include the Mi Teleférico in Bolivia and at Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.

Background
The two-stage gondola lift ferries about 600 people per hour to and from Kongdoori Mountain, a shoulder of nearby Apharwat Peak (4260 m). The ropeway project is a joint venture of the Jammu and Kashmir government and French firm Pomagalski. The first stage transfers from the Gulmarg resort at 2650 m to Kongdoori Station in the bowl-shaped Kongdori valley. The second stage of the ropeway, which has 36 cabins and 18 towers, takes skiers to a height of 3980 m on Kongdoori Mountain, a shoulder of nearby Afarwat Peak (4200 m). The second stage was completed in a record time of about two years at a cost of 180,000,000 Indian Rupees (i.e. some US$4.5 million) and opened on 28 May 2005. The French company had also built the first phase of the gondola project, connecting Gulmarg to Kongdoori, in 1998.

The timing of the gondola is 10 AM (IST) to 5 PM (It's highly dependent upon the weather at both stages). A gondola can carry six people at a time. The price is 700 Indian Rupees (11 US$) for the first stage and 900 Indian Rupees (15 US$) for the second stage. Also offered is Chair Cars for phase-II for 300/- INR. It takes approximately 9 minutes to reach the first stage and 12 minutes for second stage.

An accident occurred on 15 June 2017 due to an enormous pine tree being uprooted by a gust of wind and breaking the perspex windows on one of the gondola cabins. The gondola swung violently and its seven occupants fell 100 ft to the ground; all were killed. Gulmarg Gondola grossed revenue of about ₹ 100 crore in FY 2022-2023.