Darbar Move begins today
Offices to reopen in Jammu on Nov 2 • Two-day curbs on NH-44 imposed
Srinagar, Oct 30: The biannual Darbar Move is set to begin on Saturday, with offices from Srinagar’s Civil Secretariat shifting to Jammu for the winter season 2026-27. The authorities have imposed restrictions on the movement of goods carriers on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway for two days — October 31 and November 1 — to facilitate the smooth and hassle-free movement of the convoy of Secretariat employees.
All offices are scheduled to reopen in Jammu on November 2.
Officials said no up movement of HMVs/MMVs (goods carriers) from Jakheni, Udhampur towards Srinagar shall be allowed on Saturday and Sunday. Furthermore, no goods carriers shall be allowed to proceed from Jakheni (Udhampur) towards Ramban, Banihal, Srinagar, etc., or from Qazigund towards Banihal, Ramban, Udhampur, etc., after 0200 hours on October 31 and November 1. However, down HMVs from Qazigund towards Jammu shall be allowed in a regulated manner.
Goods carrier operators carrying fresh, perishable goods and livestock have been advised to load their vehicles accordingly, keeping the traffic restrictions in view.
Two categories of offices will move to Jammu — those moving in full and those moving in camp.
All departments of the Civil Secretariat will move to Jammu in full, including the Chief Minister’s Secretariat; Personal Staff of Advisor to Chief Minister; Department of Civil Aviation; Civil Secretariat Dispensary; Security Staff of the Civil Secretariat; Civil Secretariat Treasury; and the offices of the Financial Commissioner, Revenue; Principal Chief Conservator of Forests; Chief Electoral Officer; Director, Information; Director General, Accounts and Treasuries; Transport Commissioner; Chief Executive Officer, J&K e-Governance Agency; Mission Director, ICDS; Controller, Drug and Food Control Organization; Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration, and J&K Employees State Insurance Society, among others.
The offices that will move in camp include the Commissioner, State Taxes Department; Excise Commissioner, J&K, with skeletal staff; Director General, Economics and Statistics; Director General, Audit and Inspection; Director, AYUSH, J&K; Chief Architect, J&K; Registrar, Cooperatives, J&K; J&K Services Selection Board, with staff to be determined by the Chairman; Chairman, J&K Pollution Control Committee; Managing Directors of all PSUs, with skeletal staff; J&K Housing Board; Chief Wildlife Warden, J&K; Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner (Migrants); Director, Fisheries, J&K; Directorate of National Health Mission, J&K; Chief Executive Officer, Mission Youth, J&K; Director Colleges, Higher Education Department, and SCERT, among others.
Offices moving in camp will carry only 33 per cent of their staff strength or 10 officials, whichever is less, unless specifically indicated otherwise.
The government has fixed a uniform Special Move Travel Allowance of Rs 25,000 for each employee moving with the Darbar Move. However, employees who do not move before or within the prescribed date will not be entitled to the allowance.
