Kashmir Impulse Desk
Srinagar, April 15
The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Wednesday ordered the annual Darbar Move of government offices from Jammu to Srinagar for the summer season, with operations set to resume in the Kashmir capital from May 4.
According to an order issued by the General Administration Department, offices observing a five-day work week will close in Jammu on April 30 after working hours, while those following a six-day schedule will shut on May 2.
The order caps the number of staff relocating at 33 percent of total strength or a maximum of 10 officials, whichever is lower.
The Jammu and Kashmir Road Transport Corporation has been directed to arrange buses for employees on May 1 and May 3, with ticket bookings opening on April 20.
Authorities said each convoy will be supported by breakdown assistance, including cranes, standby buses and mobile workshops, and will be escorted by police with priority passage through key routes such as the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Tunnel and the Banihal-Qazigund Tunnel.
Medical facilities will be deployed along the highway at multiple stops including Jhajjar Kotli, Udhampur, Ramban and Qazigund to ensure emergency response during the transit.
Employees have been instructed not to occupy government accommodation without formal allotment, though they may retain housing in Jammu for family use under existing rules. Ration counters will be set up in Srinagar for staff undertaking the move.
A uniform special travelling allowance of Rs 25,000 has been approved for employees relocating within the prescribed schedule, while advance salaries for April will be disbursed on April 29.
The administration said leave during the move period would be restricted to exceptional cases, although Jammu-based employees may avail three days of special casual leave.
The General Administration Department will establish the summer secretariat in Srinagar, with all departments directed to complete staff detachment formalities before April 27.
The Darbar Move, a biannual tradition dating back to 1872 under Dogra ruler Maharaja Ranbir Singh, involves shifting the seat of governance between Jammu and Srinagar to accommodate seasonal conditions.
The practice was suspended in 2021 by the administration citing costs, but was revived in November 2025 by the government led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
