The civil secretariat, which houses the offices of the Chief Minister, Council of Ministers and administrative secretaries, reopened in Srinagar on Monday after functioning in the winter capital for six months, marking the resumption of the annual “Darbar Move”.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was accorded a ceremonial Guard of Honour by the Jammu and Kashmir Police upon his arrival at the secretariat.
Officials said that, besides the civil secretariat, offices of the heads of nearly 30 departments have also relocated to Srinagar.
Authorities had made elaborate arrangements for smooth reopening of “Darbar Move” offices.
The revival of the Darbar Move was a key promise of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference during the 2024 Assembly elections. The practice was formally reinstated by the Omar Abdullah-led government in October last year, coinciding with the completion of one year in office.
The Darbar Move, a 150-year-old tradition introduced by Dogra rulers, involves the biannual shifting of the seat of governance between Srinagar and Jammu, ensuring administrative access to both regions. The practice had been discontinued in June 2021 by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, citing a complete transition to e-governance and potential savings of around Rs 200 crore annually.
Ahead of the reopening of Darbar Move offices, Srinagar underwent a facelift, with roads resurfaced, public spaces cleaned and landscaped, and key administrative areas spruced up to welevome the return of government offices and officials to the summer capital.
