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Jammu shifts 10,000 staff as Darbar Move restarts

By Drooid · Oct 21, 2026, 10:23 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

J&K Government Relocates Secretariat

Jammu and Kashmir government is moving its civil secretariat from Srinagar to Jammu for the Darbar Move.
Srinagar offices close Oct 30-31, 2026, and reopen in Jammu on Nov 2, 2026, relocating over 10,000 employees.
Jammu and Kashmir Police will secure Darbar Move convoys through Banihal-Qazigund and Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee tunnels.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah revived the Darbar Move in 2025, after a 2021 halt over INR200 crore e-office savings.

Summary

Administration Gives Travel Allowance

The administration will give each relocating employee a INR25,000 travel allowance.
Offices moving “in camp” may keep only 33% of staff, up to ten officials.
Female staff and those with serious medical conditions receive priority for relocation.
The Health and Medical Education Department will set up medical aid points at seven transit sites.

History

Historical Context

In 1872 Maharaja Ranbir Singh inaugurated the Darbar Move, shifting the Jammu and Kashmir capital between Srinagar and Jammu each winter. The princely administration moved roughly 500 officials, saving an estimated INR2 crore annually in winter heating costs, according to British reports. Today's 2025 revival by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah mirrors that original practice, again relocating over 10,000 civil servants and securing convoys through the Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee tunnels. The precedent suggests that periodic capital shifts can generate logistical challenges yet yield fiscal efficiencies, prompting future administrations to weigh relocation costs against seasonal benefits.

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J&K Government Relocates Secretariat

Jammu and Kashmir government is moving its civil secretariat from Srinagar to Jammu for the Darbar Move.
Srinagar offices close Oct 30-31, 2026, and reopen in Jammu on Nov 2, 2026, relocating over 10,000 employees.
Jammu and Kashmir Police will secure Darbar Move convoys through Banihal-Qazigund and Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee tunnels.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah revived the Darbar Move in 2025, after a 2021 halt over INR200 crore e-office savings.

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