J&K Darbar Move 2026: Offices to Reopen in Jammu on November 2
By : Sheikh Mohammad Isa
The Jammu and Kashmir government has ordered the annual Darbar Move of government offices from Srinagar to Jammu for the winter season of 2026–27. The offices are scheduled to reopen in Jammu, the winter capital, on November 2. Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
According to the government order issued on Tuesday, offices following a five-day working week will close in Srinagar after office hours on October 30. Offices observing a six-day working week will close on October 31.
Staff Arrangements for Darbar Move
Government offices moving in camp mode will be allowed to take up to 33 per cent of their total staff strength or 10 officials, whichever is lower, unless otherwise specified in the order.
The government has also directed the Jammu and Kashmir Road Transport Corporation (JKRTC) to arrange a sufficient number of buses in good condition to transport employees from Srinagar to Jammu.
The transportation arrangements will be made on October 31 and November 1. Employees will be able to obtain their bus tickets in advance from October 27.
Each convoy will be accompanied by a crane, two empty buses and mobile workshops to address any problems that may arise during the journey.
Police Security for Employee Convoys
The Jammu and Kashmir Police will provide security to the employee convoys during the Darbar Move. According to the order, the police will also ensure that the convoys receive priority passage through the Banihal-Qazigund Tunnel and the Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Tunnel.
These arrangements are intended to facilitate the movement of government employees and their safe journey to Jammu.
Special Travel Allowance and Salary
Employees shifting with their respective offices will receive a uniform special move travel allowance of Rs 25,000 each.
The government has also directed that the October 2026 salaries of employees working in the offices being relocated be drawn on October 29.
Winter Secretariat to Function in Srinagar
Despite the relocation of offices to Jammu, the government will establish a Winter Secretariat at the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar.
The General Administration Department has been directed to make the necessary arrangements. Each department will retain one gazetted officer and four non-gazetted employees at the Srinagar Winter Secretariat.
The arrangement will ensure that designated government staff remain available in Srinagar during the winter season.
Office Timings in Jammu
After reopening in Jammu on November 2, the Civil Secretariat and heads of departments located within its premises will function from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm.
Heads of departments situated outside the Civil Secretariat that follow a six-day working week will operate from 10 am to 4:30 pm, according to the government order.
The annual Darbar Move is a long-standing administrative practice in Jammu and Kashmir under which government offices shift between Srinagar and Jammu according to the season. The 2026–27 winter move will bring the designated government offices back to Jammu in early November.
