GULMARG
Gulmarg Gondola operations were suspended for around a week after a major technical snag left nearly 320 tourists stranded mid-air for several hours, prompting one of the biggest rescue operations in recent years in Kashmir’s premier tourist resort.
Director Tourism Kashmir Syed Qamar Sajad, said the malfunction occurred in the primary gearbox at the Kongdori station, commonly known as “G2”, forcing suspension of the cable car service and immediate evacuation of tourists. Around 320 tourists trapped in 65 gondola cabins were rescued during a multi-agency operation involving the Army, JK Police, SDRF, NDRF and Cable Car Corporation teams. Rescue personnel climbed difficult terrain and used specialised vertical rescue systems to evacuate passengers safely despite rain and high-altitude conditions.
Officials said the damaged gearbox weighs nearly 3.6 tonnes and replacing it with a spare unit may take five to seven days. Authorities have also ordered a technical investigation into the incident. Sajad said safety concerns led authorities to prioritise rescue operations instead of attempting on-site repairs. “There will be no compromise on tourist safety,” he said.
The incident has revived concerns over safety standards at the Gulmarg Gondola, one of Kashmir’s biggest tourist attractions, which had also witnessed a fatal accident in 2017 and a major snag in 2023. On June 25, 2017, an accident killed seven people after a tree uprooted by strong winds struck a cabin, causing it to crash to the ground.
The MHA, in consultation with the Jammu and Kashmir administration, has decided to deploy 670 paramilitary companies for the 57-day Amarnath Yatra from July 3 to August 28.
KASHMIR
Kashmir observed a peaceful, sombre and simple Eid-ul-Adha this year, marked by prayers, family gatherings and muted celebrations. However, the continued closure of Srinagar’s historic Jamia Masjid and Eidgah grounds for congregational Eid prayers remained the defining feature of the occasion, with this marking the eighth consecutive Eid since 2019 without prayers at the two iconic venues.
Authorities did not permit Eid congregations at Jamia Masjid or Eidgah, while Kashmir’s chief cleric, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, said he was placed under house arrest ahead of Eid. The Mirwaiz described the restrictions as painful, saying generations of Kashmiris had traditionally associated Eid with mass congregations at the two sites. Despite restrictions in old Srinagar, Eid prayers were held peacefully across mosques and shrines in Kashmir, with the largest gathering reported at the Hazratbal Shrine, where nearly 60,000 worshippers offered prayers.
Officials said 2,432 establishments and 44,194 employees in the Jammu division had registered under PMVBRY, indicating a strong response from employers and growing workforce formalisation in the region.
DODA
A woman labourer was killed and 12 other workers were injured after an under-construction culvert collapsed in the Ghill Nala area of Gandoh (Doda). The woman died after being trapped under debris when the structure gave way during construction work on the Bhargi-Kunan road project in the Bhalessa area. Most of the injured are reported to be migrant labourers from Bihar. They were rescued by locals and officials and shifted to Government Medical College Hospital, Doda. Following the incident, the Jammu and Kashmir government suspended an Assistant Executive Engineer and a Junior Engineer of the PMGSY Division pending inquiry. Engineer-in-Chief Purshotam Kumar has been appointed to probe the collapse and submit a report within 15 days.
KATHUA
Rail traffic between Jammu and the rest of the country will be fully restored from May 31 after completion of repair work on the damaged Railway Bridge No 17 between Kathua and Madhopur, ending over nine months of disruption caused by flash floods and heavy rains in August 2025. Railway officials said interlocking work on the section would conclude on May 31, enabling normal movement on both Up and Down lines from June. The bridge had suffered extensive damage due to floods, soil erosion and unprecedented rainfall, severely affecting passenger and freight movement on the strategically important Jammu rail corridor.
The disruption had led to cancellation of nearly 40 trains, with several others diverted or short-terminated. Over the past months, restoration and strengthening works were carried out under continuous monitoring by senior railway and safety officials.
JAIPUR
A Jaipur couple travelling across India with their three-year-old daughter has turned their road trip into a self-funded experiment by running a mobile tea and fast-food stall from their SUV. Rahul Dev and his wife Pinky began their journey from Kashmir to Kanyakumari with just Re 1, aiming to sustain the entire trip through daily earnings from their Cafe Caravan.
The family parks their SUV at busy roadside spots in cities along the route and sells tea, shakes, Maggi, momos and snacks. Curious crowds often gather around the unusual roadside café, helping generate income for fuel and supplies.
Having covered 2,622 km so far, the family claims to have earned Rs 32,946 against expenses of Rs 21,917, saving over Rs 11,000 during the journey. According to Rahul, all travel costs, including diesel and groceries, have been met through cafe sales.
SWITZERLAND
Swiss Ambassador to India and Bhutan, Maya Tissafi, described Kashmir’s mountains as “wonderfully similar” to Switzerland during her visit to Srinagar, where she held discussions on development priorities and future collaboration opportunities in the region. In a post on X, Tissafi said Swiss expertise was already contributing to Kashmir through infrastructure projects, hydropower technology, high-altitude climate studies and dairy farming. She said her discussions focused on expanding cooperation in vocational training, hospitality, food processing and tourism. Tissafi also visited the famous Nishat Bagh, calling it a memorable introduction to the “spirit of Kashmir”.
Tissafi assumed office as Swiss ambassador to India and Bhutan in September 2024.
SRINAGAR
The High Court of Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh has quashed a preventive detention order issued under the Public Safety Act (PSA) against Srinagar resident Umar Nazir Bhat, holding that authorities failed to establish any “live and proximate link” between the alleged activities and the 2022 detention order.
Justice Sanjay Parihar observed that the grounds of detention were “stale and lacking in immediacy” as the FIRs relied upon by authorities dated back to 2009-2015, with no material showing involvement in unlawful activities after 2015.
Besides, the court noted that the detention order, issued in April 2022, remained unexecuted for nearly a year without explanation. It said authorities had not claimed that the petitioner had absconded or evaded arrest, indicating the order “remained only on paper”. The court further observed that the detention appeared to have been passed mechanically after the petitioner sought anticipatory bail in some FIRs. Quashing the order, the court ruled that unexplained delay in execution vitiated the detaining authority’s “subjective satisfaction”.
GANDERBAL
Around 43 tonnes of fresh cherries from Kashmir have been transported to major markets across the country through Indian Railways during the ongoing cherry season, offering fruit growers a faster and more economical alternative to road transport.
Railway officials said cherry consignments were dispatched through parcel vans and SLR coaches to destinations including Mumbai, Surat, Bhopal and Vadodara, helping preserve freshness and ensuring better prices for growers.
In a major boost to Kashmir’s horticulture sector, the season’s first dedicated “Cherry Special Parcel Van” carrying 12 tonnes of cherries reached Bandra Terminus in Mumbai from Jammu in just 33 hours. The consignment included 966 boxes of fresh cherries attached to the Jammu Tawi–Bandra Vivek Express.
Officials said the rapid transit reduced spoilage and improved shelf life of the highly perishable fruit. So far, Railways has received 28 parcel van indents from Jammu and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra stations for cherry transportation. Railways said the service was benefiting both large traders and small growers by providing affordable, time-bound logistics support.
LUDHIANA
Two siblings from Punjab’s Ludhiana have successfully cultivated Kashmiri saffron indoors using climate-controlled technology, producing the prized “red gold” without traditional farmland and selling it for up to Rs 12 lakh per kilogram in international markets.
Aastika Narula and Shanker Narula, both management graduates from Phulawal village, developed the indoor saffron venture under their startup “Grow Grower”. Using aeroponic and vertical farming methods, they recreated Kashmir-like weather conditions inside a controlled facility equipped with chillers, humidifiers, insulated walls and specialised LED grow lights.
The siblings reportedly invested around Rs 55 lakh in the project and produced 1.3 kilograms in their first harvest. Their saffron is being exported to Australia, Singapore, Japan and New Zealand, while domestic sales are fetching nearly Rs 9 lakh per kilogram.
The cultivation process begins with saffron corms sourced from Kashmir and follows the crop’s natural seasonal cycle. The initiative comes at a time when saffron cultivation in Kashmir faces challenges from climate change, urbanisation and declining agricultural returns.
KATHUA
Anjali Devi, an ITBP personnel from Sunkhal village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district, has successfully scaled Mount Everest as part of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police’s first all-women mountaineering expedition. Daughter of Balwant Singh and Veena Devi, Anjali unfurled the National Flag atop the world’s highest peak at 8,843 metres, bringing pride to her village and the region. Celebrations broke out in Sunkhal after news of her achievement reached home. Her family said the feat reflected years of dedication and hard work. Anjali had earlier scaled a 7,135-metre peak during an ITBP expedition in 2025 and also won the Walong Half Marathon the same year.
MUMBAI
Actor Bhagyashree has expressed her desire to visit Kashmir amid the ongoing summer heat, saying all she wants is snow-clad mountains. Sharing a video on Instagram, the Maine Pyar Kiya actor was seen dancing with her husband, Himalaya Dassani, against the backdrop of a snowy landscape, believed to be in Kashmir. “Garmi itni hein ki baas ab Kashmir chahiye! I need snow. Don’t you?” she captioned the post.
CANNES
Emerging Indian fashion talent Rafa Jeelani has drawn international attention after becoming the only Indian to walk for Chopard at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
Rafa, who has been building her profile across fashion capitals such as London, Milan and Paris, is being recognised as one of the rising Indian faces in global fashion. Industry observers say her Cannes appearance marks a significant milestone in her international journey. Rafa is also known as the niece of actor Gauahar Khan.
