Pahalgam terror attack: Authorities beef up security amid tourist rush at Gulmarg

Hindustan Times

29-04-2025

The authorities on Monday reviewed the security arrangements at Gulmarg as the rush continued at the famous tourist destination, even days after the deadly Pahalgam terror attack.
Even though there was an exodus of tourists from the Valley immediately after the attack, the Gulmarg resort in north Kashmir's Baramulla district, close to the line of Control (LoC), is seeing long queues of visitors. The resort's mesmerising meadows and cable car, Gondola, are the main attractions. Pahalgam and Gulmarg are among the key places almost always on the itinerary of those visiting the Valley.
Baramulla senior superintendent of police (SSP) Gurinder Pal Singh said authorities have been providing enough deployment of army, police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) at Gulmarg.
'We have armed deployment wherever tourists are. The review was not just from the perspective of Pahalgam, but also for crowd management issues, fire control, power shutdown during Gondola operations or any other emergencies,' he said.
Singh said that they have reviewed security owing to heightened concerns.
'One of the main attractions in Gulmarg is the Gondola, where we see a footfall of 3,000 to 5,000 tourists on a daily basis. There is generally a large deployment of police, CRPF and army. Because of the heightened security concern, we have done a complete analysis and have not come across any security concerns so far. In case it does happen sometime, or we are informed of something, we will take care of loopholes, if any,' he said.
He said all the wings of forces, like Indian Army's Rashtriya Rifles, Jammu and Kashmir Police and CRPF were deployed.
'We are getting the support of local authorities. There is no need to panic, we are all here for your security,' he said.
Gulmarg (the meadow of flowers), which is located close to LoC in the Pir Panjal mountain range in the western Himalayas, some 50km from Srinagar, is as a cup-shaped valley with virgin peaks, dry curry powder snow (in winter) and vast meadows which attracts majority of the tourists pouring into valley. The Gulmarg Gondola, a flagship attraction of Kashmir tourism and India's most popular ropeway, is at a height of 13,500 ft – making it Asia's highest operating cable car.