Global pandemic of Coronavirus has also dented the annual practice of Darbar Move and it will be for the first time in 148 years that the practice, started by the then ruler of Jammu and Kashmir Maharaj Ranbir Singh, will be partial.
While the secretariat will open at Srinagar on May 4 but it will be partial and the civil secretariat at Jammu will continue to remain functional on ‘as is where is’ basis in which Kashmir based staff shall work from Srinagar and Jammu based shall work from Jammu.
An official notification by J&K government stated that sanction is hereby, accorded to the formal opening of the annual Darbar Move officer for the summer session-2020 at Srinagar on May 4 at 9.30 am. However, in view of the extraordinary circumstanced due to COVID-19 pandemic, arrangements have been made to ensure transaction of the government business effectively.
Administrative secretaries shall make necessary arrangements to ensure the functionality in their respective departments, both at Srinagar and Jammu. Similar arrangements shall be put in place by the heads of the departments observing darbar Move, the order read.
It further read that the civil secretariat treasury and the J&K Bank Moving Branch at civil secretariat shall be functional at both the places within the civil secretariat. The Finance Department shall put in place suitable mechanism for the purpose.
Coronavirus has infected more than 200 people in Jammu and Kashmir due to which it has become difficult for the administration to move the offices. It is important to note that the intensity of the virus in Kashmir division is more than Jammu and many employees from the latter were puzzled regarding the Darbar Move for sometime now.
“The move based employees of Kashmir division, who are required to move Srinagar on account of Darbar Move on April 25 and 26 shall be provided transport facility by the JKSRT. Such employees shall provide their particulars to the General Administrative Department for issuance of appropriate passes, if required, for movement on national highway.