Jammu administration resumes functioning as Civil Secretariat reopens
The biannual Darbar Move practice has returned to Jammu following the restoration of the administrative shift between Jammu and Srinagar.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration resumed operations from its winter capital, Jammu, on Monday, according to Telangana Today. The Civil Secretariat and other government offices, including the Lok Bhawan, have reopened as part of the 154-year-old biannual Darbar Move practice.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah arrived at the Civil Secretariat, the seat of the Union Territory government, where he received a ceremonial guard of honour. Abdullah took the salute as offices resumed work, two days after they had closed in the summer capital, Srinagar.
The administration has increased security in Jammu, with police and paramilitary forces stationed in key areas and around vital installations. Ahead of the reopening, the Civil Secretariat and residential buildings for employees underwent renovations and facelifts.
The Darbar Move was originally introduced by Dogra rulers in 1872 to help the administration avoid harsh winter weather in the Kashmir Valley. While the practice was stopped in 2021 by the Lieutenant Governor-led administration to save costs and transition to e-offices, the Omar Abdullah-led government restored it in October 2025.
The movement of thousands of employees and their families to Jammu provides a boost to the local economy and markets during the winter months.