Ten people stranded in a chairlift over Daur River were recovered safely after nine hours early on Tuesday. The indigenously-designed chairlift “Paharon ki Shehzadi” (Princess of the Mountain) broke down midway on its 2,000-metre journey.
Police said the chairlift left the Murree Road Operation Point at around 7am, carrying ten passengers, who were to be dropped across Daur River in the limits of Bagnotar. However the chairlift developed a technical fault midway through the journey and stopped abruptly, leaving the people stranded above the river.
When the operator failed to repair the engine, the passengers called their families and told them about the situation.
Amid angry and abusive relatives, a rescue team was called in from Islamabad who pulled the chairlift at around 3:30pm.
The Bagnotar police registered a criminal case against contractor Muzamal Khan for negligent operation of the chairlift and endangering human lives. The police has banned the operation of the chairlift and arrested the contractor.
The chairlift started operations about a year ago. Made out of a ten-seater Suzuki pickup’s cabin and driven by a 600 CC diesel engine, the lift is run by an operator from the Murree Road end near Thai village carrying passengers till the Bessal and several other small villages.
It can carry up to ten passengers and uses wire ropes and pulleys. It has a sheet covering on all sides for ventilation and protection, with an iron gate that is tightly bolted before it begins its journey. It operates at a height of 10,000 feet, elevated over the perennial flow of Daur River.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 2nd, 2011.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ