Gulmarg ropeway tragedy: In-charge officials says safety norms followed, accident ‘an act of God’
A day after seven persons died in a tragic cable car crash in Gulmarg in Kashmir, officials incharge of the ropeway claimed that safety norms were followed and the accident can be best explained as an “act of God”.
The Jammu and Kashmir government had yesterday ordered a probe into the incident in which four of a Delhi family and three local youth had lost their lives.
“There was no deviation from the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). The weather suddenly turned bad and strong winds caused the uprooting of a tree that fell on the cable,” Director, Tourism, Mehmood Shah said.
General Manager of the Jammu and Kashmir Cable Car Corporation, Reyaz Ahmad, said the accident was an “act of God”.
“We always follow the safety manual and never operate the cable car if any risk is involved. The uprooting of the tree due to abrupt blowing of high velocity wind, which led to the accident, can at best be explained as an act of God,” Ahmad said.
Police have registered a case into the incident and started investigations into whether there was any violation of SOP.
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has yesterday ordered a probe and also announced ex-gratia relief of Rs five lakh in …read more
