50 pilgrims stranded on Girnar after ropeway service halted

Girnar: Around 50 pilgrims became stranded on Girnar Parvat after the ropeway service was halted on Sunday. However, the Ambaji Temple administration provided food for them, and arrangements were made for overnight accommodation at the nearby wireless police station.

Ropeway services are frequently disrupted due to adverse weather conditions such as strong winds and heavy rains. Typically, pilgrims are transported from the top to the bottom, but on Sunday, the service was suspended in the afternoon due to strong winds. Approximately 250 tourists were left stranded on top, with some descending via stairs and others using dolis. However, about 50 tourists, including women, children, and the elderly, were unable to descend. They waited for the ropeway to resume, but it remained closed due to the ongoing high wind speeds.

Later, on the direction of Mahant Tansukhgiri Bapu of the Ambaji Temple food was arranged for them. When accommodation became scarce, some were housed in the temple, while others were provided shelter at the Girnar Wireless Police Station.

Most of the tourists were Hindi-speaking visitors from other states, including Maharashtra and Kerala. They were alarmed when the ropeway closed, as there were no hotels, guesthouses, or restaurants on Mount Girnar. The temple administration promptly arranged food for everyone and accommodated some for overnight stays while directing the rest to the Wireless Police Station, as mentioned by Tushar Goswami, the temple priest. DeshGujarat