SRINAGAR, OCT 29 : Authorities have announced traffic restrictions on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway for October 31 and November 1 to ensure the smooth movement of government employees and their convoy during the upcoming Darbar Move to Jammu.
Officials said the Jammu and Kashmir Government is scheduled to shift its operations to the winter capital in the first week of November under the biannual Darbar Move arrangement.
As part of the exercise, government offices observing a five-day working week will close in Srinagar on Friday, while offices following a six-day schedule will shut on Saturday. Government offices in Jammu are scheduled to reopen on November 2.
To facilitate the movement of the Secretariat employees’ convoy from Srinagar to Jammu, restrictions have been imposed on goods carriers travelling along the highway.
According to officials, no goods carriers will be allowed to move from Jakheni in Udhampur towards Srinagar on October 31 and November 1.
They added that goods vehicles will also not be permitted to proceed from Jakheni towards Ramban, Banihal and Srinagar, or from Qazigund towards Banihal, Ramban and Udhampur, after 2 am on both days.
However, heavy motor vehicles travelling downhill from Qazigund towards Jammu will be allowed to move in a regulated manner.
Transporters carrying fresh and perishable goods, as well as livestock, have been advised to plan their journeys and load their vehicles accordingly to avoid inconvenience during the restriction period.
Darbar Move To Shift Government Operations To Jammu
Under the biannual Darbar Move tradition, the Jammu and Kashmir Government operates from Jammu during the six winter months and from Srinagar during the summer.
The practice was introduced by Maharaja Gulab Singh in 1872 to help the administration cope with the extreme seasonal conditions in the two regions.
The arrangement continued after Independence but was discontinued during the Lieutenant Governor’s rule in 2021. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah restored the practice in 2025.
The latest traffic restrictions have been imposed to ensure the safe and timely transfer of government employees and official operations from Srinagar to Jammu.
