Gulmarg readying for mega events as ski slopes set to reopen from Sunday
Baramulla, Jan 23: All the major ski slopes at Gulmarg, including Phase-II up to the Bowl, are set to become fully operational from Sunday.
Assistant Director Tourism, Gulmarg, Tahir Wani said that it was feasible to keep all ski slopes open for winter sports enthusiasts in view of the prevailing snow conditions in the Bowl, Phase-I and Phase-II areas, including the Chair Car and the new Drag Lift as well.
He said that teams have been deployed at Gulmarg who are working on a war footing to ensure the readiness of the slopes.
“Slope grooming at Phase-I is currently underway and is expected to be completed by today and tomorrow. Avalanche mitigation measures are scheduled for tomorrow (Saturday) to ensure safety and smooth operations,” he said.
He further said that the grooming of the Chair Car slope and the new Drag Lift area was also being carried out simultaneously.
“The slopes in the Bowl are expected to be ready by late tonight (Friday), with teams working in extended hours,” he said.
He said that in view of the arrangements in place, skiers, snowboarders and other winter sports enthusiasts have been advised to prepare for the reopening of slopes from Sunday, provided snowfall conditions remain favourable.
He extended gratitude to the officers, including the Director Tourism Kashmir, Deputy Commissioner Baramulla Minga Sherpa and the Gulmarg administration, for their "timely coordination and administrative support in facilitating the operations."
Notably, Gulmarg is regarded as India’s premier winter sports destination, attracting thousands of domestic and international tourists every year during the winter season for skiing and snowboarding activities.
Briefing about the snow accumulation in the wake of the fresh snowfall in world famous ski resort Gulmarg, Assistant Director Tourism, Gulmarg, said around four feet of snow was accumulated in Kangdori-first Phase, while there was an accumulation of around six feet of snow at phase II.
"Our Ski patrol teams, which are the dedicated teams, remain stationed in Kangdori and they keep on patrolling the entire area," he said
He said these ski patrol teams play a crucial role during rescue operations as well as in avalanche mitigation through controlled blasting.
"They keep on doing these exercises," he said.
He further added that around three and a half feet of snow was accumulated in the Gulmarg bowl, which paves the way to keep the season running.
"Given this amount of snow, we expect that we will keep the season running and also the lifts which we have in the Bowl, including the highland slopes and baby slopes, we will be keeping them operational for the entire season," he said.
