J&K’s 149-yr-old ‘Darbar move’ practice may sink into oblivion

The Jammu and Kashmir government has asked its employees who would shuttle between Srinagar and Jammu after every six months in connection with “Darbar move” or the biannual shifting of the Civil Secretariat or the seat of the government and other offices to vacate residential accommodation allotted to them in the twin capitals of the erstwhile state by August 21.

J&K’s estates department had earlier on June 29 cancelled the allotment of residential accommodation of the “Darbar move” employees in Srinagar as well as Jammu and asked them to vacate the premises by July 21, signifying the government’s plan to end the 149-year-old practice introduced by the autocratic Dogra Maharaja Ranbir Singh.

However, the employees had complained that the timeframe was not enough to complete the process. Conceding their demand, the government has not only extended the deadline by thirty days but also asked all the administrative departments and heads of various departments to sanction three days of special casual leave in favour of all concerned employees for vacating residential accommodations at Jammu and Srinagar.

On June 20, lieutenantgovernor Manoj Sinha, had announced that the Uadministration has completely transitioned to eoffice, thereby ending the 149-year-old practice of the “Darbar move”.

J&K has been the only state — now Union Territory — in the country which has separate capitals for winter and summer. With the change in season, the “Darbar”, along with nearly one million employees and their families and records would be shifted bi-annually between the twin capitals.

Jammu, scarping the low-lying foothills of the Himalayas, would turn into the seat of government when Srinagar is snowbound and freezing. Thousands of the Valley’s families which were not part of the official ‘Darbar Move’ would also shift to Jammu for winter to escape the biting cold and hardships the harsh winter brings with it for the local population.