Jammu and Kashmir government shifts to winter capital as Darbar Move offices reopen

• Jammu and Kashmir’s Civil Secretariat and other government offices reopened in Jammu on Monday under the biannual Darbar Move.

• Chief Minister Omar Abdullah received a ceremonial guard of honour before visiting Secretariat offices and meeting officials.

• Introduced in 1872, the practice was discontinued in 2021 and restored by the Abdullah government in October 2025.

The Jammu and Kashmir administration began functioning from its winter capital on Monday, with the Civil Secretariat, Lok Bhawan and other government offices reopening in Jammu under the biannual Darbar Move arrangement.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah received a ceremonial guard of honour on arriving at the Civil Secretariat, two days after the offices closed in the summer capital, Srinagar. He subsequently visited several Secretariat offices and interacted with officials.

The seasonal transfer brings the offices of the chief minister, ministers, chief secretary and other senior government officials to Jammu for the winter months.

Security was reinforced around the Secretariat and other important locations ahead of the reopening. Police and paramilitary personnel were deployed along key roads and near vital installations, officials said.

Preparations also included renovation and refurbishment of the Civil Secretariat, other government buildings and residential accommodation for employees moving to Jammu.

Established by the Dogra rulers in 1872, the Darbar Move allowed the administration to relocate from the Kashmir Valley during its severe winters. The practice continued after Independence, becoming both an administrative arrangement and an economic connection between Jammu and Srinagar.

The arrival of thousands of government employees and their families traditionally generated additional business for Jammu’s shops, markets and service providers during winter.

In 2021, the Lieutenant Governor-led administration discontinued the seasonal relocation, citing the adoption of electronic office systems and the opportunity to save crores of rupees in expenditure.

The decision drew criticism, particularly from Jammu’s business community, which considered the Darbar Move an important source of seasonal trade and economic activity.

The Omar Abdullah-led government restored the arrangement in October 2025, fulfilling an electoral promise to resume the movement of government offices between the two cities.

With PTI inputs