As part of the bi-annual 'Darbar Move', under which the Jammu and Kashmir government functions for six months each in the twin capitals, all move offices closed here today and will reopen in Srinagar on May 7. While the civil secretariat – the seat of Jammu and Kashmir government – along with other offices in the winter capital closed after office hours yesterday, the move offices were closed this evening.
Finance Minister Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari today visited the civil secretariat to oversee the arrangements of the shifting of official records which were being loaded in State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) trucks. The trucks would leave for Srinagar tomorrow.
"All necessary arrangements are in place to ensure smooth reopening of the move offices in Srinagar," Bukhari told reporters.
Responding to a question about challenges faced due to the prevailing law and order situation in the valley, he said, "the situation in the valley has been like that since the past 30 years. It has not deteriorated abnormally and everything will be okay."
The minister expressed hope that the situation would remain normal and register improvement during the summer.
"The government will continue with its priorities to ensure good governance, overall improvement in security situation and development of all the three regions of the state," he added.
Voices have been raised against the 'Darbar move', a practice started by the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, Gulab Singh, in 1872 to escape the extreme weather conditions of Jammu in summer and that of Kashmir in winter.
The state government spends crores of rupees to shift between the two capital cities twice a year, besides paying similar amount as allowance for the several thousand employees who shift base with the government.
A senior government official said all necessary arrangement for lodging and boarding of move employees had been taken care of well in advance to ensure smooth functioning of the government there.
Meanwhile, only Srinagar-bound vehicles were allowed to ply on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway in accordance with a traffic advisory issued by the government earlier.
Traffic movement on the highway, the only all-weather road connecting Kashmir with the rest of the country, is restricted to one way - from Jammu to Srinagar - for two days beginning today to facilitate move employees and shifting of official records.
Similarly, in order to facilitate smooth movement of vehicles carrying Jammu-based employees, only Srinagar-bound vehicles would be allowed to move on the highway again on May 5 and 6.
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