Srinagar, May 31 -- The week-long emergency shutdown of the Gulmarg Gondola during the peak holiday season could have hit tourist footfall at the ski resort, but an Eid rush by locals compensated for the losses. Officials said that after all safety checks, the Gondola could be opened either on Monday or Tuesday. "Our expert teams are on the job. After all safety checks, the Gondola could be reopened for tourists and locals," said an officer privy to the details. The Jammu and Kashmir Cable Car Corporation had implemented a mandatory, full-refund policy for thousands of online ticket holders, with bookings sidelined until June 1. In both summer and winter, the Gulmarg Gondola is the main attraction for tourists who come from different parts of the country. Locals say that though tourist arrivals declined by 20%, in the last three days locals came in good numbers. "Gulmarg is full. This time local rush is more than that of tourists," said Adil Majeed, who works at a hotel. After the Pahalgam attack last year, tourist arrivals to Kashmir came down drastically, but in the last five months Gulmarg has seen a good tourist rush. Around two lakh tourists visited the ski resort. On Friday and Saturday, the resort witnessed wind storms and fresh snowfall at Afarwat peak. The top peaks of the resort are still covered with snow, which attracts more tourists to the resort. "For us, Gulmarg is the jewel in the crown of Kashmir tourism. Be it winter or summer, the resort always attracts good numbers of tourists," said Bilal Ahmad, a hotelier at Gulmarg. The ambassador of the Swiss Confederation to India, Maya Tissafi, visited Gulmarg and said she was visiting the ski resort for the first time and termed it a globally recognisable tourist destination. "From DDLJ to Jab Tak Hai Jaan, Bollywood made both Switzerland and Gulmarg unforgettable on screen," she wrote on X. However, for the ponywallas of Gulmarg, the closure of the Gondola meant good business, as many tourists skipped horse riding, giving preference to the Gondola ride. "After the closure of the Gondola, our earnings have doubled, as many tourists take pony rides in the absence of Gondola rides," said Ashiq Ahmad from Kalantra village. The Gondola developed snag earlier this week after 65 cable cars got struck in the air along with hundreds of tourists. After a seven-hour long rescue operation, all the tourists were evacuated safely. Legislator and former director, tourism, Farooq Ahmad Shah said due to malfunction of gearbox the snag developed. "This happened for the first time and everything will be taken care of before starting the Gondola again," he said....