Srinagar, Jun 10 (NVI): The Jammu and Kashmir government on Wednesday constituted a high-level committee to investigate the technical malfunction of the Gulmarg Gondola cable car system that occurred on May 25, officials said.
According to an official order, the five-member committee will be headed by Managing Director of Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) Mahmood Ahmad Shah and has been asked to submit its report within 10 days.
The panel includes Director Tourism Jammu Vikas Gupta, Chief Executive Officer of Gulmarg Development Authority Tariq Hussain, Superintending Engineer Mechanical and Hospital Circle Kashmir Javeed Ahmad Tantray, and Executive Engineer Mechanical and Hospital Division Baramulla Mohammad Ismail Chechi.
The committee has been tasked with establishing the sequence of events that led to the malfunction and examining all relevant records, reports, communications and operational details related to the incident.
It will conduct a detailed technical investigation covering the mechanical, electrical, electronic, braking, communication, control and safety systems associated with the operation of the Gondola.
The panel will also scrutinise operational logs, fault indications, monitoring systems, inspection reports and maintenance records to ascertain the cause and extent of the failure.
According to the order, the committee will review standard operating procedures, maintenance protocols, inspection mechanisms and safety procedures governing the cable car system and assess whether these were adhered to at the time of the incident.
It has also been asked to examine whether any operational lapse, negligence, communication gap, supervisory failure, procedural deficiency, human error or administrative shortcoming contributed to the malfunction.
The committee will evaluate compliance with statutory provisions, technical standards, safety regulations, original equipment manufacturer (OEM) guidelines and prescribed maintenance schedules.
Besides, it will assess the effectiveness of emergency response measures, including evacuation procedures, passenger safety arrangements, communication systems and inter-agency coordination during and after the incident.
The government has authorised the panel to fix responsibility, wherever warranted, for any negligence or procedural violation by individuals, contractors, agencies or authorities associated with the operation and maintenance of the Gondola system.
The committee has also been asked to recommend immediate corrective measures for safe operation and restoration of the system, besides suggesting long-term reforms to prevent recurrence of similar incidents, the order said.(NVI)
