For first time in 148 years, Jammu & Kashmir delays Darbar Move
Srinagar: The 148-year-old Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) tradition of moving the capital of the region twice a year — from Srinagar to Jammu during the winter and back to Jammu in the summer — has been postponed for the first time in its history. The exercise, called the Darbar Move, is being delayed in view of the lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to an order issued by the J&K administration Friday afternoon, the Darbar will open in Srinagar on 15 June as opposed to its scheduled opening in the first week of May.
“It has been observed that the formal opening of the Darbar on 04.05.2020, as ordered vide government order no. 464-JK (GAD) of 2020 dated 10/04/2020, may affect the Covid-19 control efforts in the Union Territory,” read the order issued by the General Administration Department of J&K government.
The order further reads, “The formal opening of the Darbar at Srinagar will take place on 15.06.2020. All officers assigned specific Covid-19 control tasks shall continue to function from their present location till further orders, so as to ensure Covid-19 control effects and not hampers on account of physical dislocation of officers.”
It added that the Civil Secretariat at Srinagar shall start functioning on 4 May with the staff and officers on an “as is where is” basis, i.e., staff will continue working where they are based.
Video Player is loading.This is a modal window.The media could not be loaded, either because the server or network failed or because the format is not supported.VDO.AI
J&K has so far recorded 314 cases of infection, including 276 active cases. Of these, 54 are in Jammu and 260 in Kashmir. Five patients have died while 38 patients have recovered.
