Government offices in Jammu and Kashmir are reopening in Jammu on Monday, 2 November 2026, as the annual Darbar Move shifts the administration to the winter capital for the next six months. The move marks the return of the seasonal transfer of the government’s administrative base from Srinagar, where offices closed on 30 and 31 October.
Under the government’s plan, 91 government offices and establishments are shifting to Jammu. Of these, 41 offices, including the departments of the Civil Secretariat and the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, are moving in full, while 50 departments and establishments will operate in camp mode with a limited number of staff. Employee convoys travelled along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) over the weekend, with authorities restricting heavy and medium goods vehicles on 31 October and 1 November to ensure smooth movement.
A tradition dating back to 1872
The Darbar Move is a biannual practice under which the government functions in Jammu during the six winter months and in Srinagar during the summer. It was started by Maharaja Gulab Singh in 1872 to escape the extreme weather conditions of the two regions. The shifting of capitals was stopped during the Lieutenant Governor’s rule in 2021, but was restored by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in 2025, a year after he assumed office.
According to Government Order No. 1664-JK (GAD) of 2026, issued by the General Administration Department, offices observing a five-day working week closed in Srinagar on 30 October, while those observing a six-day week closed on 31 October after office hours. All designated offices are scheduled to reopen in Jammu on 2 November 2026. The order, issued by Commissioner/Secretary M. Raju, also sets out arrangements for the movement of employees, transportation, security, medical facilities and accommodation.
Eligible employees undertaking the move will receive a uniform Special Move Travel Allowance of 25,000 rupees. The Jammu and Kashmir Road Transport Corporation was directed to arrange buses in good condition for employees travelling on 31 October and 1 November. Meanwhile, the General Administration Department will establish a Winter Secretariat at the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar to handle residual work during the winter months.
After reopening, the Civil Secretariat and the Heads of Departments located within its premises in Jammu will function from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm. Moving Heads of Departments located outside the Civil Secretariat and observing a six-day week will work from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm. Ahead of the reopening, Inspector General of Police, Jammu Zone, Tejinder Singh, reviewed security preparedness in a meeting to ensure coordinated arrangements, and officials said the road leading to the Civil Secretariat would also be closed for security reasons. With offices now reopening in Jammu, the winter session of governance in the Union Territory formally begins, and public dealing at the Civil Secretariat resumes from the winter capital.
