41 Offices to Move in Full, 50 to Function in Camp; Rs 25,000 Special Move TA Announced for Eligible Employees
Srinagar, October 20 :
The Jammu and Kashmir Government has issued the schedule for the annual Darbar Move of government offices from Srinagar to Jammu for the winter season 2026–27, directing the concerned departments to complete the shifting process in accordance with the prescribed dates.
According to Government Order No. 1664-JK(GAD) of 2026, issued by the General Administration Department (GAD) on October 19, offices observing a five-day working week will close in Srinagar on October 30, while offices observing a six-day working week will close on October 31, after office hours. All designated offices will reopen in Jammu on November 2, 2026.
The order, issued by Commissioner/Secretary to the Government M. Raju, IAS, specifies the arrangements for the movement of employees, transportation, security, medical facilities, accommodation and other logistical requirements.
41 Offices to Move in Full, 50 to Function in Camp
As per Annexure-A of the government order, 41 offices and establishments have been designated to move to Jammu in full. These include all departments of the Civil Secretariat, the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, the Financial Commissioner Revenue, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, the Chief Electoral Office, the Directorate of Information, the Transport Commissioner, the Directorate General of Accounts and Treasuries, and several other departments and organisations.
Meanwhile, Annexure-B lists 50 offices that will move to Jammu in camp, with only a limited number of employees required to shift. These include the State Taxes Department, Excise Department, Economics and Statistics, Audit and Inspection, AYUSH, Horticulture, Geology and Mining, the J&K Services Selection Board, the Board of Professional Entrance Examination, the National Health Mission, the J&K Medical Supplies Corporation and several other departments and organisations.
Under the prescribed arrangement, offices moving in camp will generally carry 33 per cent of their staff strength or 10 officials, whichever is lower, unless a different arrangement has been specifically mentioned in the order.
JKRTC to Arrange Buses; Advance Booking from October 27
The Jammu and Kashmir Road Transport Corporation (JKRTC) has been directed to arrange a sufficient number of buses in good condition to transport employees on October 31 and November 1.
Advance ticket booking will begin on October 27 at the Civil Secretariat and the main JKRTC booking counters. Wherever feasible, tickets will be issued according to employees’ destinations.
To ensure safe and uninterrupted travel, JKRTC has also been directed to deploy one crane, two empty buses and mobile workshop facilities with each convoy to deal with vehicle breakdowns and other technical problems during the journey.
Police Escort and Medical Facilities Along the Route
The J&K Police will escort employee convoys throughout their journey to their respective destinations. The police have also been directed to ensure that the Darbar Move convoys receive precedence while crossing the Banihal-Qazigund Tunnel and the Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Tunnel.
The Director General of Police, J&K, will issue the necessary instructions to the field agencies for the implementation of these arrangements.
The Health and Medical Education Department has been tasked with establishing medical aid facilities at Qazigund, Banihal, Ramsu, Ramban, Chenani, Udhampur and Jhajjar Kotli on the days when employees travel from Srinagar to Jammu.
Rs 25,000 Special Move TA for Eligible Employees
The government order provides for a uniform Special Move Travelling Allowance of Rs 25,000 per moving employee. However, employees who fail to move before or within the prescribed dates will not be entitled to the allowance.
Advance pay will also be authorised for non-gazetted employees who apply for it, with recovery to be made in instalments according to the applicable rules.
The salaries for October 2026 of employees working in the moving offices will be drawn on October 29.
The order further states that leave will generally not be permitted in combination with or immediately before or after the designated move days, except under very exceptional circumstances. Such leave will require approval from the concerned Administrative Secretary.
Five days of Special Casual Leave will, however, be allowed to Kashmir-based employees participating in the Darbar Move who wish to avail the facility. The grant of this leave will not be linked to the availability of accommodation in Jammu.
Winter Secretariat to Function in Srinagar
The General Administration Department will establish a Winter Secretariat at the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar to ensure the continued functioning of essential administrative arrangements during the winter season.
Each Administrative Department has been directed to furnish details of one gazetted officer and four non-gazetted officials to be retained at the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar. No employee can be retained without prior approval from the competent authority.
While identifying staff for retention, departments have been asked to give preference, wherever feasible, to female employees and those suffering from serious medical conditions.
Departments will also identify one room each at the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar for their retained employees and submit the necessary details to the GAD for allotment orders.
Accommodation and Ration Arrangements
The Estates Department will provide accommodation to officers and officials moving to Jammu in accordance with past practice.
The order makes it clear that no moving employee may occupy government, Estate Department, municipal or residential accommodation without a proper allotment order. Employees may, however, retain government accommodation allotted to them in Srinagar for the genuine use of their families, subject to informing the Estates Department and complying with the approved terms and conditions.
The Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department has also been directed to establish ration counters at suitable locations around residential colonies of moving employees in Jammu to ensure adequate supplies.
Office Timings in Jammu
The government has prescribed separate office timings for different categories of offices following their reopening in Jammu.
The Civil Secretariat and Heads of Departments located within its premises will function from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm.
Moving Heads of Departments located outside the Civil Secretariat premises and observing a six-day working week will function from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm.
The General Administration Department has also directed all Administrative Departments to detach staff attached to subordinate offices in the Kashmir Division by October 27. The SSP Security, Civil Secretariat, will withdraw temporary identity cards issued to such attached staff and submit a report before the closure of offices in Srinagar.
The government order has been circulated to the concerned administrative departments, divisional commissioners, police authorities, heads of departments and other relevant institutions for necessary action and implementation.
The annual Darbar Move involves the seasonal shifting of designated government offices between Srinagar and Jammu. The latest order lays down the administrative and logistical framework for the winter 2026–27 session, with the reopening of the designated offices in Jammu scheduled for November 2.(KNC)