Gulmarg is a hill station in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The town had witnessed militancy in the 1990s, but after a ceasefire between India and Pakistan in 2003, the town is now peaceful. The town, nestled in the Himalayas, and very close to the Line of Control receives heavy snowfall in winters and is a popular ski resort.

With the abatement of militancy in the state, Gulmarg has quickly become one of the state’s most visited destinations. The slopes in the nearby Afarwat Hills boast one of the longest and highest ski slopes in the world. The total distance covered is five kilometres and the resort peaks at an altitude of 13,500 feet (4,115 metres), accessed by a gondola. The skiing project was inaugurated by the Chief Minister on 25 December 2004.

Gulmarg boasts of the world’s highest and Asia’s longest cable car project — Gulmarg Gondola. The ropeway, which has 36 cabins, ferries about 600 tourists to and fro the Afarwat peak and comprises 35 towers and 30 stations and takes skiers to a height of 4,390 mt. The ropeway project is a joint venture of the Jammu and Kashmir government and French firm Poma Glaski.

The cable car, which has been extended further by 2.65 km, connects the bowl-shaped Kongdoori Valley at 10,000 ft (3,930 mt) with Afarwat, situated 13 km from Gulmarg, and at an altitude of 13,400 ft (4,390 mt). The second phase from Kangdoori to Afarwat was finished well ahead of time.

The second phase from Kongdoori to Afarwat (about 5 km) was completed in a record time of about two years at a cost of Rs 11 crore and opened on May 28 last year. The French company had also built the first phase of the cable car project, connecting Gulmarg to Kongdoori, in 1998.

The JKSCCC has also proposed to construct chair lifts which will connect Kongdoori with Merry Shoulder peak for beginners and intermediate skiers.