Srinagar, May 26 -- Over 300 tourists were left stranded mid-air for hours inside 65 cabins of the famous Gulmarg Gondola cable car after a major technical snag halted Asia's highest ropeway, causing panic among the holidayers before they were safely rescued. A multi-agency operation that lasted seven hours ensured the evacuation of all the people, some of whom were trapped in cabins dangling nearly 500 ft above the ground, officials said, adding that rescue efforts were hampered by heavy rain in the area. "The rescue operation has concluded and all 320 stranded tourists have been rescued," said director general of police (DGP) Nalin Prabhat. The Gulmarg Gondola has experienced technical halts in the past, including a temporary suspension in January last year. A major tragedy occurred on June 25, 2017, when an uprooted tree struck a cabin during high winds, leading to a crash that claimed seven lives. The Monday glitch occurred around 1 pm following which cable car operations were immediately suspended. Witnesses said the stranded tourists were seen crying and pleading for help. Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Indian Army's Chinar Corps worked jointly, using ropes and ladders to bring the tourists down safely. Local guides also joined the rescue operation. Union home minister Amit Shah and Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah lauded the role of disaster response forces. Omar said that an investigation will be conducted into the incident and action would be taken if any lapses were found. "Applause to India's disaster response forces for safely rescuing 300 tourists stranded mid-air in cable cars in Gulmarg, Kashmir," Shah said on 'X'. The army stated that the fault caused a sudden suspension of services between the base station and Phase-1 (Kongdori). The incident occurred during peak hours, forcing an immediate shutdown of both Phase I (Gulmarg base to Kongdori) and Phase II (ascending to Afarwat Peak at 3,950 metres). While officials have yet to confirm the exact cause of the breakdown, initial reports from the site suggest a system overload may have triggered the malfunction. After the snag took place in Phase I, the ropeway's automated safety mechanisms instantly froze the cable alignment to prevent further risk. Both phases of the Gondola remain closed to the public while investigators determine whether mechanical strain or an electronic trip caused the system to fail. As the cabins were stranded over steep, forested terrain, rescue teams launched a specialised vertical evacuation operation to reach the trapped passengers. Utilising advanced rope systems, harnesses, and all-terrain gear, SDRF and NDRF personnel systematically accessed the cabins to lower the anxious tourists to safety. Local administration officials and medical teams were stationed at the base stations to provide immediate psychological and physical support to the rescued passengers, many of whom were shaken by the ordeal. On the instructions of Omar, deputy CM Surinder Kumar Choudhary, accompanied by local MLA Farooq Ahmed Shah and senior administrative officials, visited the tourist resort to oversee the ground coordination. By late afternoon, 179 tourists had been brought down, with the remaining passengers safely evacuated in subsequent phases as teams cleared the cabins one by one....