«Urbantech Service» (full legal name: OOO «Urbantech Service») is the organization that operates the Nizhny Novgorod Cable Car, which connects Nizhny Novgorod with the town of Bor. The cable car underwent modernization in 2024–2025 at a cost of 756 million rubles. During the 2024–2025 modernization, the cabins were replaced and their total number was doubled — to 56 units.[1][2] As of August 2026, the company's operations have been suspended following an order from Rostekhnadzor.[3]
Incident of 5 July 2026
On 5 July 2026, the cable car stopped operating during strong winds with gusts of up to 17–22 m/s. Four empty cabins collided with one another in succession near one of the pylons, and passengers were trapped in two further cabins. The cabins with trapped passengers came to a halt approximately 200 metres from the Nizhegorodskaya station; 16 people — including four children — were left suspended over the bank of the Volga, and 12 adults and 4 children were evacuated from the cabins.[4] All trapped passengers were evacuated by rescue workers.[1][5] Following the incident, all 56 cabins were removed from the cable car.[3] Before the incident of 5 July 2026, a malfunction of the automated systems had already been recorded on the upgraded cable car: one of the cabins had been carrying passengers with its doors open.
Denis Ryabinin, Deputy Head of the Nizhny Novgorod Ministry of Transport, stated that the incident of 5 July 2026 was already the second recorded violation on the upgraded cable car, and announced his intention to discuss with «Urbantech Service» the question of their continued role as the operating organization.[1] The circumstances of the incident were simultaneously being examined by investigators from the Investigative Committee, which opened an inquiry under Article 238 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation — concerning the provision of services that fail to meet the safety requirements for the life and health of consumers.[6][3]
Rostekhnadzor Findings and Order
Volga-Oka Directorate of Rostekhnadzor completed its main investigation and issued an official order to Urbantech Service LLC. The agency determined that the violations were caused by improper actions on the part of staff: without verifying whether the errors reported by the system were genuine, employees continued to deliver the remaining passengers to their stations, causing the cabins to collide at the same point. An incomplete assessment of operational risks was also cited as an additional violation.[1][5] As a result of the collision, the load-bearing haul rope sustained damage; the question of whether to repair it or manufacture a new one is to be resolved following diagnostics. Replacing the damaged section of the load-bearing haul rope — approximately 1.5 kilometres in length — is estimated at nearly 195 million rubles.
These funds for purchasing and installing a new load-bearing haul rope were allocated by the regional authorities; the rope replacement had originally been part of the facility's modernization plans and became especially pressing following the July incident.[7] Rostekhnadzor specialists warned that the consequences of the incident could have been significantly more serious — up to and including the cabins being torn from the rope.[8][1]
In late July 2026, Urbantech Service LLC announced that it had begun addressing Rostekhnadzor's findings: repairs to damaged equipment components and additional diagnostics of the load-bearing haul rope, support elements, rolling stock, and safety systems were under way at the crossing, and additional staff training had been conducted.[1] Upon completion of the restoration work, an industrial safety examination is planned to assess the technical condition of the cable car and confirm that the equipment is ready for safe operation; the crossing may only resume service after this examination is carried out.[1][3][5] Under the order, the cable car may not resume operation before May 2027. According to the Rostekhnadzor order, the deadline for remedying the identified violations has been set for 27 May 2027.[7] However, the document allows for the early lifting of restrictions: if the company fulfils all requirements ahead of the established deadline, it is entitled to apply to Rostekhnadzor for an unscheduled on-site inspection.[1]
Progress of restoration works
As part of the restoration work, additional safety briefings for cable car personnel are planned; once all measures have been completed, an industrial safety inspection will be commissioned to assess the technical condition of the facility.[1] All cabins were removed from the cable car for the duration of the repairs. The removal of the cabins took place following the incident of 5 July 2026.[1] As of early August 2026, all cabins had been removed from the cable car.[1] In the course of the restoration work, all cabins were removed from the cable car.[1] Upon completion of the restoration measures, an industrial safety inspection assessing the technical condition of the facility is to be commissioned.
Deputy Head of the Nizhny Novgorod Ministry of Transport Denis Ryabinin stated that the ministry intends to discuss with Urbantech Service LLC the question of their continued operation as the operating organisation, noting that the incident in question constitutes a second violation.[1] Ryabinin noted that the open-door cabin incident and the collision of 5 July 2026 represent a second instance of violations on the upgraded cable car.[1] Deputy Head of the Nizhny Novgorod Ministry of Transport Denis Ryabinin stated that the incident of 5 July 2026 constitutes a second instance of violations on the upgraded cable car, and announced the ministry's intention to discuss with Urbantech Service LLC the question of their continued operation as the operating organisation.[1] Ryabinin characterised the incident of 5 July 2026 as the second violation recorded on the upgraded cable car.[1]
Closure of Nizhny Novgorod Cable Car in 2026
Urbantech Service LLC disputed the findings of Rostekhnadzor: company representatives stated that staff had acted in accordance with their instructions and had sought to move passengers out of the danger zone as quickly as possible, and that a full system shutdown would have left cabins with passengers suspended over the Volga and could have stretched the evacuation over dozens of hours.[8]
The legal proceedings concerning the liability of Urbantech Service LLC were scheduled to resume on 29 September 2026.[8]
Rostekhnadzor classified the actions of the personnel during the incident under Part 3 of Article 9.1 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Russian Federation as a flagrant violation of industrial safety requirements.[7]
Sources
- GIPERNN — Months to fix the violations. When will the Nizhny Novgorod cable car reopen? (archive)
- Kommersant (Volga Region) — Repairs of the cable car begin in Nizhny Novgorod — Modernization of the Nizhny Novgorod cable car was carried out in 2024–2025; 756 million rubles were spent on it. After… (archive)
- NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" — The Nizhny Novgorod cable car may not reopen until May 2027 (archive)
- Vremya N — "Urbantech Service" comments on the situation at the Nizhny Novgorod cable car — The cabins with trapped passengers came to a stop approximately 200 meters from the station… (archive)
- Vremya N — The Nizhny Novgorod cable car may resume operation in May 2027 (archive)
- Nizhegorodskaya Pravda — When will the cable car in Nizhny Novgorod start working again: everything about the repair situation — The restoration work as part of the repairs also includes the replacement of… (archive)
- Otkryty Nizhny — Rostekhnadzor classified the actions of cable car personnel during the incident of July 5, 2026, under Part 3 of Article 9.1 of the Russian Code of Administrative Offences — as a gross violation of requirements (archive)
- Newsroom24 — LLC "Urbantech Service" disagreed with Rostekhnadzor's findings: company representatives stated that the personnel had acted in accordance with the instructions and had sought to (archive)