After a four-year gap, Jammu is witnessing a major revival of the historic Darbar Move, the traditional biannual transfer of Jammu and Kashmir’s administrative offices between Srinagar and Jammu. The 150-year-old practice, halted in 2021, is being reinstated this winter as part of the government’s renewed effort to preserve heritage and strengthen regional unity.
The announcement by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah earlier this month has triggered a wave of excitement and activity across Jammu. The city is undergoing extensive beautification and restoration drives ahead of the arrival of officials and secretariat staff. Civic bodies and local agencies are working round the clock to clean roads, repaint curbs, and refurbish public buildings, while damaged stretches from recent rains are being repaired.
Government offices in Srinagar are set to close by October 31 to facilitate reopening in Jammu next month. The return of the Darbar Move is being seen as a major boost for the local economy, with traders and business groups anticipating a surge in commercial activity and tourism during the winter months.
Security has been significantly tightened in and around the Civil Secretariat, Raj Bhawan, and residential quarters of government employees. Additional police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed across key locations in Jammu city. The 270-kilometre Jammu–Srinagar National Highway, the only all-weather road connecting the two regions, is also under enhanced surveillance to ensure smooth and secure transit.
With civic teams, police units, and administrative departments coordinating at full pace, Jammu is gearing up to welcome back the centuries-old tradition that symbolizes administrative balance and regional togetherness. The city is dressing up not just for the return of government offices, but for a renewed sense of connection between the two capitals.
