Jammu, Nov 2: Winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir is all set to welcome ‘Darbar Move’ after four years as all 86 offices, shut in Srinagar, will reopen in Jammu tomorrow, November 3, 2025.
Highlight of the day, however, will be a likely road-show by the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to celebrate the momentous occasion of resumption of historic Darbar Move practice.
As per official sources, the Chief Minister is likely to traverse the distance from his official residence to the Civil Secretariat via Raghunath Bazar on foot in the form of a road-show to ensure that moment is etched in memory of Jammuites forever. He will start from his residence at around 9 am.
At the Civil Secretariat, the Chief Minister, as per sources, will be accorded ‘Guard of Honour’ at 9.30 am.
The Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, along with his father and the former Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah, have already arrived in the winter capital on the eve of opening of ‘Move offices’ in Jammu, by road.
Second batch of Move employees, along with important records, too reached Jammu on Sunday, November 2, 2025, following schedule.
Meanwhile, the Civil Secretariat has been fortified with a layered security.
As a part of resumption of full Darbar Move, 39 offices, including the Chief Minister’s Secretariat and all departments of the Civil Secretariat, have moved ‘in full’ while 47 offices have moved ‘in camp’ to Jammu.
However, the nine subordinate offices of the Home Department, which directly comes under the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha under the Union Territory set-up, will remain unaffected by the resumption of bi-annual ‘Move practice’, scrapped since 2021.
These offices i.e., Police Headquarters, J&K along with other associated offices; Prisons Headquarters, J&K; Directorate of Prosecution, J&K; Police Housing Corporation, J&K; Headquarters, Home Guards, Civil Defence and SDRF, J&K; Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services, J&K; Directorate of Forensic Science Laboratory, J&K; Directorate of Sainik Welfare Department, J&K and Directorate of Defence Labour Procurement, J&K will continue to function simultaneously at both Srinagar and Jammu.
A control room has been set up inside the Civil Secretariat to facilitate the Move employees and address their other issues following the opening of offices.
DIFFERENT SET-UP, DIFFERENT ‘DARBAR MOVE’ VIBES
Interestingly after the resumption of full ‘Darbar Move’, the ‘Move’ vibes would not exactly match to what they used to be four years ago or prior to that. However, they would definitely have an altogether different flavour.
Inside the Civil Secretariat, it would be a more or less similar scenario as was witnessed in November, 2024. (Though certainly in terms of governance or administrative presence, the difference will be distinctive as compared to 2024).
Exuberance (as usually displayed by employees) would be there but Move splendour, generally marked by the press conference (by the Chief Minister) after the guard of honour, would be missed, probably this time also.
The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) due to the Nagrota by-election is in force in Jammu district. Hence, the customary press conference is also not likely to happen. But informally the Chief Minister giving a sound-byte or two to the media persons cannot be ruled out.
Nevertheless, the warmth and high spirits of welcoming employees and officers, who would be in greater (or in full) strength this time will surely add to the moments of pomp and show, one believes.
Yet the real vibrancy of resumption of ‘Darbar Move’ will be experienced -outside the precincts of the Civil Secretariat, the nerve-centre of the governance – on the roads and markets of winter capital, which has been bracing for it, for quite some time.
Resumption of this historic practice, in particular, has enthused Jammu traders and business men.
Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) president Arun Gupta aptly echoes their sentiments as he says, “Darbar Move will immensely strengthen the brotherhood and harmony between the two regions (Jammu and Kashmir) and boost the economy by bringing vibrancy to the trade and business sectors of both regions.”
Darbar Move practice, initiated around 150 years ago by Dogra Maharaja with strategic and climatic considerations, was scrapped by the administration of the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha in 2021 with the assertion that it would save Rs 200 Cr of the state exchequer.
Initially, the LG administration, through its orders issued in April, 2021, had deferred the Darbar move for the summer session 2021 because of the COVID-19 situation in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
However, later the practice was fully scrapped with the directions that “move offices of Heads of the Departments, which move ‘in full’ and also the offices which move ‘in camp’, would continue to remain functional both at Jammu as well as Srinagar.”
JAMMU GETTING FACELIFT
Since the announcement of resumption of Darbar Move, the winter capital city and its outskirts have been undergoing a ‘hurried refurbishing exercise.’
Tawi bridges, prominent roads, mainly the designated routes for VIP movement, have been decked up. At certain places, repair works are still on. Dysfunctional street lights have been replaced. Intelligent traffic management systems too have witnessed improvement.
However, the construction and repair works are still underway in Amar Singh Ahata in Panjtirthi and some other places, where the J&K Estates Department has made arrangements for the stay of ‘Move employees.’
Security paraphernalia too has been geared up to ensure safe and secure ‘Move’ practice and employees’ stay for the next six months.
Additional deployment has been made all across Jammu city and outskirts, particularly at sensitive locations. Intensified night patrols and use of advanced surveillance modes are part of the layered security drill put in place for the ‘Darbar Move.’
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