Srinagar, May 25 -- Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday praised the disaster response teams for safely rescuing around 300 tourists stranded mid-air after a technical snag halted the Gulmarg Gondola in north Kashmir.

In a statement, Shah applauded the efforts of the SDRF, NDRF, Army, local police and civil administration, who carried out a six-hour-long rescue operation and evacuated all passengers stranded in 65 cable cars.

"Applause to India's disaster response forces for safely rescuing 300 tourists stranded mid-air in cable cars in Gulmarg, Kashmir.The nation salutes the forces for their valour and skill," Shah said.

Officials said the rescue operation was launched immediately after the technical fault developed in the cable ca...