'Darbar Move' offices to close in Jammu on April 27

Srinagar, Apr 13 (UNI) The Civil Secretariat and other related offices will close in Jammu on April 27 to reopen here on May 7 for the biannual 'Darbar Move'.

The 'Darbar Move' practice between the two state capitals -- Srinagar for six summer months and Jammu for six winter months -- had started in 1872 during Maharaja Ranbir Singh's rule.

General Administration Department Principal Secretary Khurshid Ahmad Ganai chaired a high-level meeting here to finalise various arrangements for the 'Darbar Move' employees.

The meeting was told that the State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) would provide buses in good condition on April 28 and 29 for the Kashmir-based employees and on May 5 and 6 for those from Jammu.

The SRTC would also provide trucks for transporting the official records besides one crane and a mobile workshop.

The meeting was further told that on April 16, the SRTC would open a special counter for tickets at the Civil Secretariat to facilitate the booking for the 'Darbar Move' employees.

Mr Ganai directed the health department to make available necessary medicare facilities, including one ambulance, en-route the 300-km Srinagar-Jammu national highway on the move days.

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Traffic was directed to coordinate with the Army and the Border Roads Organisation for smooth movement of 'Darbar Move' convoy and also check overcharging by Tata Sumo operators.

Deputy Commissioners of Ramban and Udhampur were asked to make necessary arrangements to check the quality of food and eatables in various hotels and restaurants all along the national highway and ensure that food items were sold at reasonable and fixed rates.

Mr Ganai also asked all the authorities concerned to work in close coordination to avoid any inconvenience to the employees.

The 'Darbar Move' practice has turned out to be a costly affair.

Every six months, the state government incurs several hundred crores of rupees in shifting the offices between the two capitals.

The state exchequer suffers heavy loss for maintaining the traditional system of shifting the government and other offices from Jammu to Srinagar and vice versa.

The Civil Secretariat, which houses the offices of the Chief Minister, his Cabinet colleagues and other top bureaucrats, is the nerve centre of official activities.

Nearly 10,000 government officials and employees would move here from Jammu for the next six months.

UNI