PHOTO: WIKIPEDIA
The chairlift will remain closed until the probe is completed.
On Saturday evening, some 106 tourists took the exhilarating chairlift between the valley from Pindi Point in Murree to Patriata at an altitude of 7,500 metres above sea level. However, the fun ride turned into a nightmare when the chairlift malfunctioned, leaving them stranded in mid-air.
A rescue operation was immediately launched involving locals, members of the Rescue-1122, the district administration, civil defence and the Army engineers.
The rescue effort continued early into Sunday morning.
“Army engineers repaired the cable tower to rescue the tourists”, the army’s media wing said.
Rawalpindi Division Commissioner said that thanks to the joint efforts of civil and military personnel, a difficult situation was overcome despite bad weather conditions.
He added that the Rawalpindi district commissioner, Murree assistant commissioner and the City Police Officer rushed to the site as soon as they heard about the incident and monitored the rescue operation.
He added that no chairlifts will be allowed to operate without taking additional safety measures including alternative chairlift operational measures in case of an emergency in the future.
Rawalpindi District Commissioner Ali Randhawa said there were at least eight to nine people in every cable car.
He added that they all required resources, including ladders and ropes, were provided to rescue workers who helped evacuate every stranded tourist. He further said that no tourist was injured in the process.
He added that it was a very difficult operation as the cable cars were located at an extreme height in a hilly area.
Noting that an inquiry had been launched, Randhawa added that action will be taken against those who displayed negligence and played with the lives of the public.
Meanwhile, Rawalpindi CPO Faisal Rana said that they were enhancing their patrols in the popular tourist destination of Murree, noting that police teams will now operate around the clock in the hill station.
He further said that the relevant SHO will be held responsible if any incident of misbehaviour with tourists is reported from the area.
Rana reiterated that tourists visiting the hill station were our guests and that ensuring their safety was their moral, legal and religious obligation. He said that any negligence in this regard will not be tolerated.
In 2017, at least 10 people were killed and two others were injured when the cable of a chairlift broke and sent the cable car plunging into a ravine.
The accident occurred in the Charra Pani village near Murree.
The improvised chairlift is strung between two mountains in Hazara division of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province which local villagers use to cross the river underneath.
Subsequently, police had arrested the owner and two operators of the local chairlift, called ‘dolli’ when it was discovered the cables of the chairlift were old and damaged while the cable car was overloaded with passengers.
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