Jammu: Amid scenes of jubilation and festivity, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah received a rousing welcome from the people of Jammu as the historic ‘Darbar Move’ resumed on Monday, marking the return of government offices to the winter capital after a four-year hiatus.
Abdullah was greeted like a returning hero. The chief minister ditched his motorcade and instead chose to walk on foot from his official residence to the Raghunath Market en route to the Civil Secretariat — a simple gesture that instantly resonated with the people. The chief minister covered more than a kilometre on foot.
As per the day’s schedule, the chief minister arrived at Shaheedi Chowk at 9:15 AM, where he was warmly received and felicitated by the Jammu Chamber of Commerce, Residency Road and Rajinder Bazar Associations.
Accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary and Minister Javed Rana, thereafter, the chief minister walked towards Raghunath Bazar Chowk via Residency Road, greeting traders and citizens who lined the route to extend greetings and best wishes on his arrival.
At Raghunath Bazar Chowk, Omar Abdullah was felicitated by the Raghunath Bazar Association before proceeding on foot towards City Chowk, where he was received by members of the City Chowk Bazar and Kanak Mandi Bazar Associations.
The mood of the crowd was electric, and their excitement palpable. Along the Residency Road and through the busy Raghunath Bazar, flower petals rained down on the chief minister as rhythmic beats of drums and fervent sloganeering rent the air.
The chief minister, who fulfilled a key election promise by reviving the centuries-old tradition, underscored the move’s significance as unity over mere fiscal savings.
The Darbar Move involves the seasonal shifting of the Jammu and Kashmir government’s offices from Srinagar to Jammu, a practice started by Dogra rulers nearly 150 years ago.
The Civil Secretariat and other offices closed in Srinagar on October 30 and 31 and began functioning in the winter capital on Monday for the next six months.
The Darbar Move was halted by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha in June 2021, citing the administration’s complete transition to e-office, which, he said would save around Rs 200 crore annually.
“How important was this (decision), especially for Jammu, you might have come to know this morning. The journey (from my official residence to the Civil Secretariat), which usually takes five minutes, took an hour with people pouring out on the streets and showering their love…Jammu was greatly affected when the Darbar Move was stopped,” Abdullah said.
Addressing this rationale, the chief minister told reporters at the Civil Secretariat that the decision was driven by sentiment and regional integration.
“The most important thing is that everything should not be weighed in money. The Darbar Move was stopped to save money. Some things are more important than money, as they involve sentiments and unity between the two regions of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said, calling the tradition the “biggest way” to unite the regions.
The decision to stop the move had previously drawn sharp criticism, especially from Jammu’s business community, which termed it a significant blow to trade and the traditional bond between the regions. They had been pressing for its revival ever since.
Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Arun Gupta, who was among the first to greet the chief minister, hailed the decision, saying, “This is a historic day for us, and the warm welcome accorded to the chief minister tells it all.”
Traders turned up in large numbers and garlanded the chief minister, showered flower petals and distributed sweets amid drumbeats and slogan shouting throughout the route.
The security detail of the chief minister had a tough time managing the surging and enthusiastic crowds as he walked to the secretariat.
“We decided to thank the chief minister for accepting the demand of the traders and the civil society. The stopping of the Darbar Move had caused significant harm to Jammu,” Gupta said.
Due to a paucity of time, the chief minister later continued his journey to the secretariat in his motorcade.
A group of people waiting for the chief minister outside the secretariat showered flower petals on his cavalcade.
Later, the chief minister was received at the Civil Secretariat, where he was presented with a Guard of Honour by a contingent of J&K Police, marking the opening of offices as part of the traditional Darbar Move.
The chief minister inspected the ceremonial parade and interacted with officers and staff on the occasion.
Following the ceremonial reception, Omar Abdullah chaired a high-level meeting with the Council of Ministers and Administrative Secretaries to get an update on the functioning of various departments and assess the administrative preparedness following the move.
Addressing the meeting, the chief minister described the restoration of the Darbar in Jammu after a gap of four years as “a welcome experience” that has infused a wave of enthusiasm and happiness across the city and its adjoining areas.
The Chief Minister directed all departments to focus on the timely implementation of projects, saying it is time to translate decisions into tangible outcomes, saying a series of district-level review meetings would be initiated across the Jammu division to assess developmental progress and address public issues.
Speaking on the challenges ahead, Abdullah said the government is expected to deliver “actual ground results”.
“All planning and discussion phases have been completed. It is now time to translate the decisions into tangible outcomes on the ground,” Abdullah said.
The chief minister directed all departments to focus on the timely implementation of projects already approved, ensuring visible progress at the grassroots level.
Acknowledging the financial constraints being faced by the government, Abdullah assured that the matter of limited resources “will be appropriately addressed”.
He also called for a balanced approach, urging officers to “ensure effective delivery while simultaneously curbing unnecessary expenditure”, the statement said.
He, however, underlined the challenges ahead, noting that the government is now at a crucial juncture where “actual ground delivery is expected.” (With inputs from PTI & official press release)
