Jammu, Nov 2: The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Monday resumed functioning from the winter capital, Jammu, as the Civil Secretariat, Lok Bhawan and other government offices reopened under the 154-year-old biannual Darbar Move practice.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was accorded a ceremonial guard of honour upon his arrival at the Civil Secretariat, the seat of the Union Territory government, and took the salute as the administration resumed operations, two days after offices closed in the summer capital Srinagar.
Abdullah also undertook a tour of various offices at the Secretariat and interacted with officials.
The reopening marks the revival of the seasonal administrative arrangement under which government offices shift between Jammu and Srinagar. Security arrangements have been strengthened across Jammu, particularly around the Civil Secretariat, with police and paramilitary personnel deployed at key locations, important roads and vital installations, officials said.
Ahead of the reopening, the Civil Secretariatwhich houses the offices of the Chief Minister, ministers, Chief Secretary and other senior government functionaries, underwent renovation and a facelift. Government buildings and residential accommodation for employees were also refurbished.
Introduced by the Dogra rulers in 1872, the Darbar Move was aimed at allowing the administration to escape the harsh winter conditions of the Kashmir Valley by shifting its base to Jammu during the colder months.
The practice continued after Independence and became an important administrative and economic link between the two regions. The movement of thousands of government employees and their families to Jammu traditionally provided a significant boost to the local economy, particularly businesses and markets during the winter season.
However, the practice was discontinued in 2021 by the Lieutenant Governor-led administration, citing the transition to e-office and the need to save crores of rupees in expenditure. The decision drew criticism, particularly from Jammu’s business community, which viewed the Darbar Move as a major source of economic activity.
The Omar Abdullah-led government restored the practice in October 2025, fulfilling an electoral promise and reviving the decades-old administrative arrangement between Jammu and Srinagar.