Kashmir Impulse Desk
Jammu, Oct 20
The Jammu and Kashmir government has ordered the annual Darbar Move, with more than 100 offices scheduled to reopen in Jammu on November 2 for the winter session.
According to an order issued by General Administration Department Commissioner Secretary M Raju, offices observing a five-day week will close in Srinagar after office hours on October 30, while those following a six-day week will shut on October 31.
The official movement of employees from Srinagar to Jammu will take place on October 31 and November 1.
The General Administration Department will maintain a winter secretariat at the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar.
Civil Secretariat departments, including the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, and 40 other offices will move to Jammu in full. Another 50 specified offices will operate in camp, with only 33 percent of their staff strength or 10 officials, whichever is fewer, unless otherwise specified.
Civil Secretariat and Heads of Departments offices located within its premises will operate from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm after reopening in Jammu. Moving Heads of Departments based outside the secretariat and observing a six-day week will work from 10 am to 4:30 pm.
The Darbar Move, a practice introduced around 150 years ago by the Dogra rulers for administrative and climatic reasons, was discontinued in 2021 by the Lieutenant Governor’s administration.
It resumed in November 2025 under the elected government, following a four-year break.
The government has directed that no leave be granted in combination with or immediately after the designated move days except in very exceptional circumstances.
Kashmir-based employees wishing to remain in the Valley will be allowed five days of special casual leave, irrespective of accommodation availability in Jammu.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police will escort employee convoys and ensure priority passage through the Banihal-Qazigund and Syama Prasad Mookerjee tunnels.
The Director General of Police has been directed to issue instructions to field agencies.
The Jammu and Kashmir Road Transport Corporation has been asked to arrange sufficient buses for October 31 and November 1.
Advance ticket booking will begin on October 27 at the Civil Secretariat and the corporation’s main booking counters.
Each convoy will be accompanied by a crane, two empty buses and mobile workshops to deal with breakdowns.
The Health and Medical Education Department will arrange medical assistance at Qazigund, Banihal, Ramsu, Ramban, Chenani, Udhampur and Jhajjar Kotli.
The order bars moving employees from occupying government, Estates Department, municipal or residential accommodation without a proper allotment order.
Employees may retain government accommodation in Srinagar for their families, subject to approved conditions and intimation to the Estates Department.
The Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department has been directed to establish ration counters near residential colonies of employees in Jammu.
Eligible moving employees will receive a uniform special travel allowance of Rs 25,000. Those who fail to move within the prescribed period will not qualify for the allowance.
Non-gazetted employees may also apply for an advance of salary, recoverable in instalments under the rules.
Salaries for October will be drawn on October 29.
Departments have been asked to identify one gazetted officer and four non-gazetted officials to remain at the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar.
Preference should be given, where feasible, to women and employees with serious medical conditions.
Each department has been directed to identify a room for retained staff.
The departments have also been asked to detach staff posted temporarily from subordinate Kashmir division offices by October 27.
The Estates Department would arrange accommodation for employees moving to Jammu under the established practice.
The order sets out logistical arrangements for the six-month winter shift while retaining a limited administrative presence in Srinagar.
