SRINAGAR: As Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his cabinet colleagues assumed office in the Civil Secretariat, Jammu and started working from winter capital, the calls have grown louder for the restoration of the 149-year-old practice of ‘Durbar Move’. ‘Durbar Move’ is the half-yearly shifting of the capital and Civil Secretariat between the twin capitals of Srinagar and Jammu. The ‘Durbar Move’, was introduced by Maharaja Gulab Singh in 1872. It was abandoned by the Lt Governor administration in 2021, two years after the abrogation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the erstwhile J&K state into two Union Territories by centre on August 5, 2019. Haji Ashiq Hussain, President, Hotel and Restaurant Association Jammu said restoration of the now defunct Durbar move has been the main demand of Jammu traders, politicians and civil society groups. “The opening of the CM Secretariat in Jammu is a piece of good news. It implies that 70 per cent of ‘Durbar Move’ has been restored in Jammu while the rest 30 per cent will be restored with an official announcement abot the restoration of now-defunct ‘Durbar Move’,” he said. According to Ashiq, in the absence of the ‘Durbar Move’, the Jammu economy has taken a hit and traders have incurred heavy losses.In June 2021, Lt Governor Manoj Sinha ended the 149-year-old practice of the ‘Durbar move’ stating that the move would save the government of Rs 200 crore every year. Jammu Chambers president Arun Gupta said the ‘Durbar Move’ is not only connected with finance but also with Kashmir and Jammu. “The restoration of the ‘Durbar move’ is the demand of Jammu as well as Kashmir traders. An effort has been made for the restoration of Durbar Move as CM, his cabinet colleagues and top bureaucrats are present at Jammu Secretariat,” he said. Gupta said the ‘Durbar Move’ in total should take place as used to be the case before. “We will be meeting the Chief Minister and his cabinet colleagues in this regard,” he said.
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