‘Darbar Move’ to boost economy, bridge Jammu-Kashmir gap: CM Omar

JAMMU: J&K CM Omar Abdullah on Monday said the age-old “Darbar Move” tradition, discontinued four years ago, was revived by his government to bridge the gap between the twin capitals of the erstwhile state — Jammu and Srinagar.The “Darbar Move” bi-annual tradition of shifting the J&K government offices from Srinagar to Jammu in winter and vice-versa in summer was started by Dogra rulers nearly 150 years ago. In June 2021, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha halted the practice, citing the administration’s complete transition to e-office, which, he claimed, would save approximately Rs 200 crore annually.The tradition was revived by the Abdullah govt on Oct 16.On Monday, CM Abdullah, accompanied by deputy CM Surinder Choudhary and minister Javed Rana, walked approximately 4-5 kms from his official residence on Wazarat Road (Residency Road) in Jammu to the Civil Secretariat in the morning, interacting with traders on Residency Road, Raghunath Bazaar and Shalimar Road on the way.“Jammu suffered the biggest setback since the Darbar Move practice was discontinued. The National Conference had promised to restore it.

It was our responsibility, and we have done it today. We hope that with the resumption of the Darbar Move, the economy of not only Jammu but the entire J&K will get a boost,” Omar told reporters. “You must have seen the rousing reception. Today, a distance that takes a few minutes to cover took nearly an hour.

It was the love and affection of the people.”Abdullah said some people always try to create a wedge between Jammu and Srinagar and rake up “Jammu versus Kashmir” for political advantage.

“We want to address that wedge and remove the distance,” he said.The decision to discontinue the practice in 2021 had drawn sharp criticism from various quarters, including Jammu’s business community, which had termed the move a blow to trade and the traditional bond between the two regions. The trading community had been pressing for the revival of the practice ever since.Abdullah said the tradition was revived by his government to bridge the gap between the twin capitals of the erstwhile state and asserted that some things “should not be weighed by money”.“Everything should not be weighed in money. The ‘Darbar Move’ was stopped to save money. Some things are more than money, as they involve sentiments and unity between the two regions of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.