New Lift For Gulmarg May Be World’s Highest Chairlift

A new chairlift at Gulmarg in India's Kashmir region seems likely to be the world's highest lift of this type when it opens.

Gulmarg currently operates the world's third highest gondola lift, behind two lifts in China, and the world's second highest ski area, behind the small facility on Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in China, following the demise of the former highest ski area in Bolivia which has closed due to climate change melting the snow pack. However Gulmarg can claim to be the highest 'proper' ski resort in the world with runs up to 5km (three miles) long.

The new lift's construction, which is said to be starting 'in the next month' was announced by the Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Tourism and Culture, Nawang Rigzin Jora, during a day-long excursion tour of Gulmarg in North Kashmir last week.

"The up-gradation of tourism related infrastructure at par with international standards, to tap tourism potential of the destination, is afoot." He said. "…to explore fully the potential of this premier hill resort, a chairlift from Kongdoori-Marrishoulder of Apharwat will be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 9 crore (about $2m)."

Currently the world's highest chairlift is in Breckenridge, Colorado, and reaches 12,840 feet (3,914m). It is not clear yet how high the Gulmarg lift will go, but the resort does offer gondola accessed skiing to nearly 4,000m/over 13,000 feet.

The Minister also announced the state's highest altitude cafeteria, an Igloo-type hut, would be built at Apharwat and that accommodation improvements including a new 20 bed budget hostel and the conversion of old Maharaja palace into a convention centre would also take place at a cost of about Rs 6 crore (about $1.3m). There would also be improvements in the electricity and water supply networks in the resort.
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