GAD orders annual winter office shift to Jammu; depts reopen Nov 3
Jammu: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday announced the resumption of the traditional bi-annual Darbar Move practice after a gap of more than four years. The practice was halted by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha in 2021.
Addressing a press conference here, the Chief Minister said that cabinet has given nod for the revival of the century-old practice. “The file was sent to the Lieutenant Governor and has been approved. The government is reviving the practice soon,” he said.
The Cabinet had recommended a return to the full-fledged Darbar Move in September this year.
Following the Chief Minister’s announcement, the J&K Government ordered the transfer of government offices from Srinagar to Jammu for the winter season 2025–26.
According to the order issued by the General Administration Department (GAD) on October 16, 2025, offices observing a five-day work week will close in Srinagar on October 31, while the six-day offices will close on November 1. All departments will reopen in Jammu on November 3 (Monday).
The order specifies that offices listed in Annexure A will move to Jammu “in full”, while those in Annexure B will move “in camp” with one-third of their staff or at least ten officials.
The Jammu and Kashmir Road Transport Corporation (JKRTC) will provide adequate buses on November 1 and 2 for transporting employees, with advance ticketing from October 27, according to the order. Each convoy will be escorted by J&K Police with cranes, empty buses, and mobile workshops accompanying the movement to prevent inconvenience.
Medical aid facilities will be arranged at Qazigund, Banihal, Ramsu, Ramban, Chenani, Udhampur, and Jhajjar Kotli by the Health and Medical Education Department.
Employees will receive a Special Move TA of Rs 25,000 while those who fail to move within the prescribed dates will forfeit the allowance, the order states. The salary for October will be disbursed on October 31, and advance pay may be sanctioned for non-gazetted staff.
The order further directs that no employee shall occupy government accommodation without proper allotment. The Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department will ensure ration supply at Jammu residential colonies.
The Winter Secretariat will function at the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar during the move. The Estates Department has been tasked with providing accommodation to officers and staff as per past practice.
Office timings in Jammu will be 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 pm for the Civil Secretariat and 10:00 am to 4:30 pm for other departments observing a six-day work week.
The Darbar Move practice was initiated in 1872 by Maharaja Gulab Singh to move the capital between Jammu in the winter and Srinagar in the summer
