The Jammu and Kashmir administration resumed functioning from Jammu, its winter capital, on Monday under the 154-year-old biannual Darbar Move practice, news agency Press Trust of India reported.The Civil Secretariat, Lok Bhawan and other government offices reopened in Jammu, two days after closing in the summer capital Srinagar. The move restores the arrangement under which government offices shift between the two cities.Chief Minister Omar Abdullah received a ceremonial guard of honour on his arrival at the Civil Secretariat, the seat of the Union Territory government, and took the salute.

He later toured various offices at the Secretariat and interacted with officials.Security has been strengthened across Jammu, particularly around the Secretariat, officials told PTI. Police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed at key locations, while security has also been increased along important roads and around vital installations.

The Civil Secretariat houses the offices of the chief minister, ministers, chief secretary and other senior government officials. It was renovated ahead of the reopening, along with other government buildings and residential accommodation for employees.The Darbar Move was introduced by the Dogra rulers in 1872 to allow the administration to shift to Jammu during the Kashmir Valley's harsh winter months.

The practice continued after Independence and developed into an important administrative and economic link between the Jammu and Kashmir regions.The movement of thousands of government employees and their families to Jammu provided a significant boost to the local economy, particularly businesses and markets during winter.However, the Lieutenant Governor-led administration discontinued the practice in 2021, citing the transition to electronic office systems and the need to save crores of rupees in expenditure.The decision drew criticism, particularly from Jammu's business community, which regarded the administration's seasonal move as a major source of economic activity.The Omar Abdullah-led government restored the Darbar Move in October 2025, fulfilling an electoral promise and reviving the decades-old arrangement under which the Jammu and Kashmir administration shifts between Jammu and Srinagar.- Ends